Not So Easily Forgotten
by Buffybot
Summary: It's been six years since the trio has graduated from Hogwarts. Ron's getting married and asks for Hermione's help in planning the wedding reluctantly, she agrees. They've been broken up for years so there shouldn't be any problems.
1. The Awkward Factor

**DISCLAIMER:**  All the characters here are property of J.K. Rowling (except Gillian, she's mine).  No money is being made from this story.

**A/N:**  I was inspired to write this story of watching "The Wedding Singer" for the first time.  To answer anyone's questions in advance, Ron, Harry and Hermione are twenty-three in this story and Ginny is twenty-two.

Improper use of magic office

CHAPTER ONE

        Glancing at the dash Hermione checked the time again – the tenth time in the last five minutes – and then had to slam on her breaks to avoid rear-ending the car in front of her.

        "Oh for Merlin's sake," she muttered as the car in front of her slowed down for no apparent reason.

        That was all she needed: an accident to top off the wonderful day she had had.  Members at the Ministry of Magic had decided to dump on her shoulders the little re-occurring fiasco of a group of wizards that were going around terrorizing muggles.  It had originally been a case being investigated by the Improper Use of Magic Office, but those high up on the ladder at the Ministry had decided it was a case for the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, and with Hermione being the Department Head, that meant the job fell onto her shoulders.  It wasn't that she minded the extra work; it was just she had enough on her plate already, with the Head of Goblin Liaison Office away on sick leave, and his paperwork being sent directly to her desk for her to do because she used to work in the liaison office when she had first started at the Ministry.  Add that to her own paperwork and the case with the terrorized muggles, and Hermione barely left the office except to sleep.  She was usually one of the first people to arrive in the morning and was one of the last to leave at night.   And then just a few days ago, she had received an urgent owl from Ron, in dire need of her organizational skills to help him plan his wedding that was only two months away.

        Immediately, she had refused.  Honestly, Ron was a grown man now and he still expected her to be around to bail him out of any situation.  Maybe if he weren't such a procrastinator he would have started planning for his own wedding months ago.  It wasn't as if she owed him anything.  He had some nerve asking her for help.  Did he have any idea how awkward it would be for the two of them?  Knowing Ron, he probably hadn't thought of that factor.  Her mind had been made up until she had met Harry for lunch the day before yesterday.  Of course he was being Ron's best man.  The two of them had remained close over the years despite the fact that Harry's job often called for him to leave for weeks at a time without saying anything to anyone.  

        She wasn't exactly sure what Harry did.  It was classified and he wasn't allowed to talk about it to anyone.  What she did know was that the work he did usually involved tracking down groups of dark wizards and doing other undercover work that was more dangerous then any auror dealt with on a daily basis.  On several occasions, folders had ended up on her desk with Harry's name on it.  She knew better now not to look at them, but when she had first started at the Ministry right after Hogwarts and had not heard from Harry in almost a month, she had read the classified parchments.  She had learned her lesson that time and never again so much as peaked at the folders.  She simply filed them away and forgot they ever existed.  She had never told Ron or anyone else what she had found in there.

        When Ron had first gotten engaged, Harry had been the one to tell her.  And she would be forever grateful to him for that because it gave her some time to adjust to the idea before she ran into Ron and his fiancée, Gillian, in an outdoor café and they told her the good news.  She knew it had been bound to happen because just about every time she talked to Ginny Weasley she would tell her how happy Ron was and how close he and Gillian were getting.  She assumed Ginny did that to try and goad some sort of reaction out of her, but Hermione never rose to the bait.  She was just glad that Ron had finally moved on.  You can only hold on to your childhood crush for so long until it's time to grow up.

        Anyways, back to lunch with Harry.  She had been adamant in telling him her decision not to get involved with Ron's wedding, but somehow Harry had managed to convince her otherwise.  He had spent the afternoon pleading with her, telling her how hard it had been for Ron to ask for help and she wasn't being very fair to reject him without giving it a chance.

        "Just tell him you'll try it out and if it doesn't work, you'll leave him with to deal with the mess.  What's the worst that could happen?"

        Harry had said that to her and when she thought back on it now, she realized _a lot_ could go wrong.  But she had eventually let herself be talked into owling Ron back to tell him she would drop by The Burrow on Friday evening after work.

        That was where she was on her way to now – if the traffic ever let her get there.  She hadn't realized that when she had told Ron she would come on the Friday that it was a Friday of a long weekend, and _everyone_ was heading out of the city.

        She could have apparated to The Burrow from her apartment, but she preferred driving sometimes.  She remembered Ron had said she was crazy when she came back from the summer of sixth year with her driver's license.  His exact words were, "you're a witch, what do you need to know how to drive for?"

        She had given him a whole list of reasons, not the least of them being the wizard way was not always the best way to travel.  It was too risky at times with all the muggles around, and it would definitely not look good on her record for a Ministry of Magic worker to have been spotted by muggles using magic.

        Since her parents were muggles, she found it was just as important to be well educated in both the non-magic and magic world.  Growing up as a muggle, she had more respect for non-magic folk then a lot of wizards and witches did.  And years of nagging Ron had finally convinced him to take Muggle Studies in their last year at Hogwarts – since his ignorance of them used to drive her nuts – though she would learn later in their seventh year he had not taken it for the reasons she had thought he had. 

        Her exit was coming up and she moved over to the right lane, taking the exit ramp off the highway.   It was about a ten-minute drive to The Burrow from there.  She would drive out passed the city until she reached the countryside and from there the road would lead straight to the Weasley house.

        Now that she was off the highway, the drive was a lot smoother one, and the traffic lessened to nothing once she reached the outskirts of the city.  Before she knew it, she had reached The Burrow. 

        There was just something about it that made it seem almost like home to Hermione.  It probably had something to do with the way Mrs. Weasley treated every guest in her house like a member of the family.  There was no place Hermione felt more at ease at – except for maybe her own home – which was really just a small, one bedroom apartment near the Ministry.  Knowing Molly Weasley, she probably had some huge dinner planned in honour of her and Harry coming over.  Harry was only staying for dinner and then he would spend the next month and a half living with Ron in his flat in town.  Harry had his own place somewhere in London, but he wanted to make up for some lost time with Ron before he got settled down and married.

        Her reconsideration to help Ron out meant she would be spending her weekend at The Burrow and then head back to the Ministry on Monday morning.  She was only a twenty minute drive from The Burrow, and it was even less to get to Ron's flat, if she needed to meet with him – which, undoubtedly she knew she would.  It was going to be a challenge trying to juggle her job and a wedding – but she had been through worse.  At least she wasn't going to need to use a Time Turner to accomplish all her tasks. 

        She pulled into the driveway behind the old Ford Anglia that Arthur Weasley still drove and got out.

        She found it was surprisingly quiet as she walked towards the front door – something highly unusual at the Weasley's.  There was almost always some constant bang or commotion to be heard.  She figured that with all of the Weasley children having moved out – except for Ginny, Fred and George, (the twins were planning on moving out as soon as they made enough money with their joke shop in Diagon Alley) the place was bound to be a lot quieter even with the twins room in the basement.

        After several knocks, the front door opened and Ginny Weasley flung her arms around the older girl.

        "Hermione, I'm so glad you came," she said pulling away from her friend.  "I feel like I haven't seen you in months,"

        It had indeed been months.  Hermione had found herself so backlogged at work she hadn't made it down to The Burrow since Ginny's twenty-second birthday – that was almost three months ago.

        "Where is everyone?"  Hermione asked, stepping inside.

        "Fred and George are out, and mum's outside with dad setting the table for dinner.  Ron's out helping them," she added with a knowing look at Hermione.

        "So, let's go and say hi,"

        "Ooookay," Ginny agreed, somewhat surprised at her eagnerness.

        Truth be told, Hermione just really wanted to get the initial 'hello' out of the way with Ron.  She was hoping once that was over with, she would feel a lot less awkward at being in his house so she could help him plan his wedding.

        "Is Harry here yet?" Hermione asked as Ginny led her to the backyard.

        "No,"

        And that was that.

        Harry was beyond a sensitive subject for Ginny.  Just mentioning his name to her could change the atmosphere of a room.  To make a long and complicated story short, they had gotten engaged shortly after Ginny's graduation from Hogwarts, and Harry, one night, months down the road, all of the sudden decided to call it off.  It had been suddenly to everyone else except Hermione.  Harry had been talking to her about calling it off since Ginny had been badly injured a few weeks earlier after he had let her accompany him on a routine assignment out of town.  

        Ginny took it hard.  She called him selfish and screamed at him that she could take of herself and that any risk was worth them being together.  Unfortunately for her, Harry didn't see it that way.  He left that night for one of his missions and didn't return for months.  Unlike the times before, he didn't owl Ginny once.  When he got back, she was seeing Colin Creevy (they had dated on and off in her fifth year before she and Harry had finally gotten serious), and didn't want anything to with him.

        That was three years ago and Ginny still hadn't gotten over it. 

        Hermione was one to talk.  It had taken her years to finally get over Ron – and they weren't easy years either.

        Ginny opened the door to the back and they stepped out into what was the huge backyard of the Weasley's.  Immediately, she spotted Mr. and Mrs. Weasley setting cutlery on an oblong table.

        Molly Weasley looked up as they approached and smiled at seeing Hermione.  She dropped what she was doing to come over and greet her.

        "It's good to see you, Hermione," she said, giving her a hug.  "You and Harry don't visit nearly as much as you used to,"

        "That's because they have lives now, Molly," Arthur Weasley said, coming over and greeting Hermione in a similar fashion.  "You can't expect them to spend every free moment at out our house.  Hermione's probably loaded with work back at the Ministry,"

        "Overloaded, actually, but I'm handling it,"

        "Too bad our son can't handle a fraction of the workload your dealing with.  Ron is a disorganized mess half the time.  No wonder he's having trouble planning his own wedding.  Sometimes I wonder how he got through Hogwarts," Arthur said.

        Hermione and Ginny exchanged looks but said nothing.

        "I heard that," said a new voice from behind Hermione.

        She turned around and saw Ron standing there, holding a bunch of plates in his hands.

"I am not a disorganized mess, I just happen to procrastinate on occasion.  And as for Hogwarts, I had a good teacher," he said, looking in Hermione's direction and winking at her.

        Hermione gave a small smile back, but luckily for them Ron's parents took no notice of the exchange, only Ginny seemed to know what Ron was talking about.

        Before she could stop the thought, she found herself thinking he looked good.  He had kept himself in shape over the years by playing for one of the smaller Quidditch Leagues in England.  It wasn't professional or anything, but he told her once he enjoyed it all the same.

The instant she caught herself staring at him she realized one thing:this was going to be a lot harder than she had originally thought.

Let me know what you think.  All types of feedback are welcome.  

I'll try and have chapter two up as soon as I can.


	2. Some Things Never Change

CHAPTER TWO

        It didn't take the Weasley's – save for Ron – long to abandon Hermione outside with Ron, left with the task of finishing setting the table.  Hermione had to give them credit.  They had managed to disappear a lot faster than she had anticipated.  Ron's mother had said there was some last minute cleaning she needed to do and dragged her husband inside with her.  Ginny had made the excuse she was going to check on the food in the kitchen before disappearing as fast as someone with an invisibility cloak on.

        "You sure know how to clear out a room," Ron joked, setting down another plate.

        Hermione smacked him in his arm and he laughed.

        When the laughter died down it left an awkward pause.  It had been quite some time since it had just been the two of them alone.  She was wondering if Ron was as nervous as her, but when he looked up at her he looked perfectly fine.

        "You look good, Mione.  Sorry," he added quickly.  "Old habits die hard, I guess,"

        Old habits indeed.  He had a tendency to call her that on occasion and she hated it when he did.  It the name he had often called her when they had been dating – and that was a road she didn't need to be reminded of.

        "So, how come I had to hear from my dad that you got promoted to the head of Magical Law Enforcement Squad?"

        She shrugged and handed him another plate.  "I guess I didn't think you'd be interested.  I know how you hate all that Ministry stuff,"

        He looked hurt.  "Hey, that's not true.  Well, the part about the Ministry is, but you know I care about what you do.  I know how important it is to you,"

        "So, how come I had to hear from your sister that Dumbledore offered you a teaching job at Hogwarts," she countered, arching an eyebrow at him.

        "My sister needs to learn to keep her fat trap shut," he scowled.

        "Ron, you should have taken it,"

        "Me?  Teaching at Hogwarts?  The guy who barely graduated?  "I'm sure they would learn loads from me," he said, his tone sarcastic.

        "You know Dumbledore wouldn't have asked you if he didn't think you could do it.  I would have thought after the Ministry – "

        Ron slammed down a plate harder than he had intended.  "Hermione, can we not do this?  You know I quit the Ministry of Magic because I hated it.  It was never what I wanted to do.  I tried it just to make my dad happy.  But that doesn't mean I have to take the first job that comes along,"

        "What do you want to do?"  She asked, hoping not to anger him further.

        "I don't know," he answered, forgetting about setting the table and flopping down on a chair. 

        "Ron, if you just – "

        "Hermione if you say 'apply myself' I think I'm going to have to kick you out of my house.  You've been telling me that for years, but I'm not you, okay?  I can't just put my mind to something and accomplish it,"

        This was definitely not the direction she was hoping the evening would take, but like Ron had said, old habits die hard and she wasn't about to back off from one of their arguments.  She never had in the past and she wasn't about to start now.  "I'm not going to apologize for thinking you're smart enough to do whatever you want.  You're just too afraid to try,"

        She saw him visible cringe at the last part, but he made no remark.  Instead he got up from the table and said, "let's go see if Ginny needs a hand,"

        Without waiting to see if she was following, he walked inside.  She was following, but at a respectable distance behind.  She knew how he got when he was in moods like that.  It was better to stay silent until he was fully calmed down or else there would be a all-out yelling match and she really did not want an audience for that.

        She wasn't paying attention and nearly ended up bumping into Ron when he stopped dead in his tracks for no apparent reason.  But there was a reason.  She could hear to people arguing.  For a moment she thought it was Ron's parents, but the voices became clearer as she and Ron moved forward.

        "I don't see why you care," they could hear Ginny saying.

        "It was just a simple question.  Can't I ask if Colin's going to be here?"

        "No, you can't"

She and Ron exchanged a look.  Harry was there, and whatever argument she and Ron had, what was going on between him and Ginny would be ten times worse.  It was normal for her and Ron to argue.  It was an integral part of their relationship, but Ginny and Harry's fights were never good.

She noticed Ron was moving closer to the closed kitchen door.  She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him away without making too much noise.  She was sure Ginny and Harry would not appreciate them listening in.  But Ron insisted on staying where he was, and Hermione stayed with him, but not without protest.

"I didn't come here to fight with you, Gin,"

"I don't even know why you come here at all,"

"Ron is my best friend.  I have every right to be here.  And just because you're angry with me isn't going to change that,"

"I'm sorry, Harry, did you think I was angry with you?  Let me correct that little mistake.  I'm not angry with you, I hate you,"

Before Hermione or Ron had time to react, the kitchen door flew open and Ginny nearly ran right into them.

"Were you two eavesdropping?"  She demanded.

"Uh…no," Ron lied.

Ginny didn't believe him and why should she when all the evidence pointed otherwise.  Ginny's face had already been bright red with anger and somehow it seemed to go redder when she looked from Ron to her friend.

One thing Ginny had in common with her brother was a volatile temper.  So it was either get out of the way or pray for mercy.  Luckily for them with Harry there she didn't feel like sticking around and took off at the back door while Harry exited through the front.

After a chorus of slamming doors, Ron said, "I'll go deal with Harry.  You go calm my sister down,"

Of course she got the impossible task.  "Thanks, Ron,"

"No problem," he smirked at her before opening the front door.

Harry was sitting on the steps to the porch outside.  When the door opened, he didn't turn to see who it was.

"It's nice to see I'm not the only one who can get my sister mad like that," Ron said.

"Ron, I swear I didn't mean to start a fight with her.  I know I should have kept on walking straight past her, but I couldn't,"

"It's okay.  You know how easily Ginny can get all riled up,"

"You're one to talk," Harry said, facing his friend.

"The point I'm trying to make," said Ron, ignoring the comment, "is she didn't mean that stuff she said to you,"

"It doesn't matter, Ron.  I don't care,"

"Harry, you're a rotten liar – almost as bad as me.  Of course you care.  You wouldn't be out here if you didn't,"

Harry raised an eyebrow at him.  "Since when did you get so smart?"

"I think its being around Hermione.  She has that affect on people," he told him.  He shook his head.  "Even after all these years she still thinks I'm smarter then I am,"

"Ron, we've known her along time, and it's not often she's wrong.  I can only think of one or two occasions where she was,"

"That doesn't mean she's right about me,"

Harry shrugged but said nothing.  He knew better then to let himself get dragged into one of their debates.

"Is that her car?"  Ron indicated to the sleek looking car parked behind his dad's.  "It's nice,"

"What did you expect?  She worked hard to got that promotion at the Ministry.  It's good to see she's actually using a fraction of the money she's making,"

"She looks good," Ron commented.  He noticed Harry was giving him a funny look.  "What?  She does,"

"You've never said that before when you've seen her,"

"Of course I have.  I say it every time I see her,"

"No, you don't,"

"Fine, I don't.  But who cares?"

"You know, I thought this whole wedding-planning thing was going to be hard for Hermione.  Are you sure you're going to be okay with this, Ron?"

"Why wouldn't I be?  I've got the most organized person in the world helping me plan it,"

"All I'm saying is you didn't think through asking her to help you.  Things might get complicated,"

"You worry too much, Harry.  Hermione's fine with it and so am I.  Nothing's going to happen,"

Hermione found Ginny standing in the open paddock where they used to play Quidditch for fun during the summer months before they went back to Hogwarts.  Hermione herself had never played – flying was not one of her favourite things – but she always came to watch them.

When she got to Ginny, she stood beside her, saying nothing, unsure if her friend was ready to talk yet.

"I'm sorry about back there, Hermione," she apologized after the two of them had been standing in silence for a while.  "It's just Harry gets me so – so – I don't know," she said shaking her head.

"You know Harry wouldn't come here intentionally trying to hurt you," Hermione said to her.

She kicked at stone on the ground.  "Yeah, I know that," she conceded reluctantly.

"Did you mean what you said?"

Ginny sighed.  "Look, Hermione, I know Harry's one of your best friends and I hate to keep putting you in the middle, but that's the way things are with us,"

That didn't answer Hermione's question, but she let it go.  "Have you tried getting along with him.  Harry's a good person.  He's – "

"The Boy Who Lived.  I know," she said in a sarcastic voice.

"Ginny, it's been three years, don't you think it's time you've forgiven him?"

"Have you forgiven Ron?"  Ginny shot at her.

The question caught Hermione off guard.  She wasn't sure how to answer that.

"I guess I have my answer," said Ginny when she remained silent.  "So, don't go preaching about how I need to forgive and forget when you can't do the same,"

She wanted to say that it was different for her and Ron but she very much doubted the younger girl would see it that way.

"I'll see you back at the house," Ginny said before walking away.

"Ginny, Harry was right to break it off with you,"

Ginny spun around, furious.  "How can you – "

Hermione was going to regret this later.  "When I first started at the Ministry, a file with Harry's name on it landed on my desk.  I wasn't supposed to read it, but I was worried about him after he took off and no one had heard from him," she looked at Ginny gravely.  "Gin, there was a very graphic and detailed report about how he had been tortured by some cult of dark wizards in Romania.  There were pictures too,"

Ginny looked horrified.  "Oh my god," 

"I never told him I knew.  I figured if he wanted to he would have told me.  Ron doesn't know either,"

"I always knew what he did was dangerous, but I had no idea…." She trailed off.

"You couldn't have.  Listen, Gin, I could get in a lot of trouble for what I just told you.  It's classified information that I'm not even supposed to know about.  But you needed to know that Harry did what he did because he didn't want your name to end up in a report like that.  That's how much he cared about you,"

Hermione left her then.  Ginny would need some time to let what she had said to sink in.  Hermione had some of her own thinking to do.  Ginny was right.  How could she criticize her friend for not forgiving Harry, when she didn't even know if she had gotten over what Ron had done to her?


	3. What We Once Shared

A/N:  Starting now, at the beginning of every chapter (and maybe in the middle of some), there will be a flashback to Ron and Hermione's seventh year from the events leading to their eventual breakup and beyond.  They will alternate between Hermione's POV to Ron's POV.

To answer some questions:

Elanor Odd Socks:  You'll have to wait and see if Harry and Ginny are going to get together.  I read and reviewed your HP story.  It's great so far.  When are you going to post the next chapter?

animegirl-mika:  Like I said, you're going to have to wait to see if Ginny forgives him.  There's still plenty of story left to go.

Molly:  We'll meet Ron's bride-to-be in Chapter Five.

Thanks for all the reviews, and now on with the story…

CHAPTER THREE

        _"That's it!  I can't study anymore," Hermione said and slammed her Advanced Transfiguration textbook shut._

_        "I don't think you've studied nearly enough.  You don't have this book memorized from back to front yet,"_

_        Hermione looked at him, thinking he was being serious until she saw a stupid lopsided grin forming on his face._

_        "Shut up, Ron,"_

_        She grabbed her pillow and smacked him in the face with it._

_        "How can you hit a defenseless wizard?"  He said, playing hurt._

_        "You're not defenseless,"_

_        "You're right.  I'm not._

_        Before Hermione had time to react, he had her pinned to the bed and was tickling her mercilessly._

_        "Ron, stop!"  She managed to get out in between laughing fits._

_        "Not until you say Ron Weasley is the most responsible person I know and I don't know what I'd do without him,"_

_        "You – you can't expect me to say that," she said and giggled even louder when he started attacking her ribs.  "When we both know that's a lie,"_

_        "Then I guess you'll have to hope I'll take mercy on you," he said and continued his relentless tickling assault on her._

_        Hermione couldn't take anymore.  "All right, all right.  Ron Weasley is the most responsible person I know,"_

_        "And?"_

_        "And I don't know what I'd do without him!"  She gasped._

_        "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"  He said, stopping._

_        "You're such a prat, Ron," she told him, but she was smiling._

_        He fell back on the bed beside her.  "And that's why you love me," _

_        "Maybe," she said, laying her head on his chest._

_        They both grew quiet, but Hermione could feel Ron tensing up beside her.  "What is it?"  She asked, moving her head up to look at him._

_        "I don't know.  It's just – do you realize that in less than nine months will be out of here forever?"_

_        She couldn't resist grinning.  "You're going to miss Hogwarts, aren't you?"_

_        "What? No…. okay, maybe a little.  All right.  A lot," he said at last to satisfy her.  "Most of the best memories I have are from here, but it's not just that.  I don't even know what I'm going to do when I get out of here," he told her.  "My dad doesn't understand why I don't want to work at the Ministry with him.  He doesn't realize that it's not my dream to work for the almighty Ministry of Magic.  No insult intended," he added.._

_        "It's okay," she assured him.  "I didn't know you thought about life after Hogwarts,"_

_        "I think about a lot of things.  Like us, for example," he said, looking down at her._

_        He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, moving his hands so they were running through her long hair.  Hermione kissed him back with equal passion, moving closer to him until she was lying on top of him.  The speed of their kissing increased, while Ron's hands traveled down her back, when Hermione stopped abruptly._

_        "It's late," she said, still leaning over him._

_        "I know," he said, not taking his eyes off her._

_        "You should probably go.  If anyone finds you in here…"_

_        "I know that, too,"_

_        It was several seconds later before either of them moved.  Hermione initiated it by getting off of him.  Ron, rather reluctantly, followed suit and got up._

_        She walked him to the door._

_        "See you in the morning," he said to her._

_        "It's already morning," she corrected him._

_        It was one of the few times he didn't mind being corrected by her.  "I could get used to these all night study sessions,"_

_        They kissed briefly before he left and Hermione closed the door behind him._

There was a moment of disorientation for Hermione when she woke up the next morning.  It took several seconds for her brain to click in and remember she was at the Weasley's.

She lay there for several long moments, staring at the ceiling, thinking, _wow, that had been some dream_.  She hadn't thought about the time she and Ron had stayed up half the night, learning everything there was to know about Animagi – which was nearly half their textbook – in a long time.  She remembered how surprised she had been when he had suggested they study together and how seriously he had taken it.

Weird.  What had suddenly triggered that memory?

She decided not to dwell on the matter further.  She got out of bed, and checking to make sure she was decent, headed downstairs.

        She was only at the top of the stairs, when she smelled a delicious aroma coming from downstairs.  Someone was up cooking breakfast.  When she reached the kitchen, she pulled open the door – and nearly had a heart attack.

        "Ron!  What are you doing here?"

        "He was up early looking for a job," Mr. Weasley answered, who was sitting at the table.

        Ron sighed.  "Dad, don't start,"

        It wasn't that she minded that he was there.  It was his family's house after all.  But it would have been nice if she had known that he was coming over so she could have made herself a bit more presentable.  It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her in her pajamas before, but that wasn't the issue.

        "I have to go," Mr. Weasley said, draining the last of his coffee before getting up.  "I'll see you kids later,"

        He had a pile of paper work that needed to be done and had decided by going in on a Saturday when nobody would be there, would be the easiest way to get it done.  Ginny had offered up her Saturday to go with him and give him a hand.

        Hermione went and poured herself a cup of coffee, peering over Ron's shoulder to see what he was making.  Scrambled eggs and sausages.

        "Since when do you cook?  I meant cook something that doesn't smell like it's on fire,"

        "Since my mum got tired of me coming over here and taking food,"

        "It smells good," she complimented.

        "Do you want some?"

        "No, thanks.  I don't need that junk,"

        "Like that coffee's so much better for you," he commented.

        She declined to answer that, while she sat down in the chair Arthur Weasley had vacated.

        She sat, sipping her coffee, briefly entertaining the idea of going upstairs and getting changed and brushing her hair, until her mind got around the fact that this was just Ron, and she didn't need to impress him.  If he was that turned off by her appearance, he could find someone else to help with his wedding.

        "So, really, why are you here so early?"  Hermione asked him.

        "I figured you'd be up early, so I thought we could get an early start today," he said, bringing his breakfast over to the table and sitting across from her.  "I've made a list of things,"  he said, before shoving a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

        He reached into his pocket and handed it to her.  She took it, thankful that he had at least taken the time to write a few things down.

        She nearly fell off her chair when she looked at it.  "Ron, this list is a page long!"

        "I know," he said sheepishly.  "But look, a lot of its little things,"

        She looked at his untidy scrawl and skimmed through the list:  pick meal for dinner, decide on band, choose wedding cake, find something to wear…

        "Please tell me you've at least handed at wedding invitations,"

        "Of course.  We took care of that at least two weeks ago,"

        Well, that was something.  But looking at the list again, she wondered if it was possible to get even half these things done with the wedding three weeks away.

        "Ron, why did you leave all this stuff until the last minute?  Do you know how hard it's going to be to find someone to cater a wedding at this late notice?"

        He sighed.  "I know.  Gillian's just been really busy at work lately – she won't even be coming with us today.  She called me this morning saying she had to go into work today because of some really important story,"

        Gillian was an editor for the _Daily Prophet_.

        "What's your excuse?"

        "I've been busy too, you know.  I may not have a big, fancy job but I've had things to take care of too,"

        "Uh-huh," Hermione said, though she did not sound the least bit convinced.  This was classic-Ron.  Leaving everything to the last minute.  "We should get started in London,"

        He looked at her oddly.  "London?  What are we going there for?"

        "Because I know more about weddings than you do and I say we're going to shop for this stuff there,"

        "Yes, sir,"

        She rolled her eyes.  "You're going to be the death of me Ron, you know that?"

        "I do my best," he said and picked up a sausage.

        The morning was a hectic one.  And Hermione thought she had it hard at the Ministry.  Trying to shop in London on a weekend was hard enough; add shopping for a wedding to that and it all but spelt out the word 'migraine'.  She would have thought most people would have gone away for the long weekend, but that didn't seem to be the case.

        She had to give Ron credit, though.  After some not so gentle nudging on her part, he managed to do a lot of things on his own, and Hermione was just there to put her input in and offer her opinion.  Even in the muggle stores, he was a lot more comfortable then he used to be.  Maybe Muggle Studies had paid off after all.

        Of course, Ron was still protesting somewhat that they were shopping in London instead of a 'wizarding community' like Diagon Alley.  Hermione carefully explained to him that having grown up as a muggle, she had never been to any wizard weddings.  She only knew how the muggle ones were like.  She told him he should have taken that into consideration before asking her.  That seemed to shut him up and he didn't question her judgment again until later that morning.

        The first thing they had had taken care of was the meal courses that would be served at the reception.  That part alone had taken up several hours.  Ron actually seemed to enjoy that part; picking out the food, especially the dessert part.  He and Gillian had already gone over what they wanted to be served at the dinner.  Next came Hermione's favourite part of the morning: watching Ron moan and gripe while he tried on half a dozen different tuxes.  He complained that wizards didn't get married in those, but Hermione was quick to point out that it was more modern to get married in a tux than in a wizard robe.  He complained some more, but nonetheless, tried on tux after tux until he found one that suited him.

        Those two tasks alone had taken up the entire morning.  It was only one o'clock and Hermione felt dead on her feet, and Ron did not look much better.  They stopped by an outdoor café to grab some lunch.

        "I have to admit," Ron began, after the waiter had taken their order, "maybe the 'muggle way' wasn't necessarily the wrong way to go with this wedding.  It was a lot less complicated then what my parents were telling me,"

        "You're welcome," Hermione told him.

        Ron grinned.  "Listen, I know this is only the second day we've spent together in a long time, but you already know everything that's going on with me and I know nothing about you except how you're job's going,"

        "That's pretty much all there is to say about me," she said.

        "I don't believe that.  How's your parents?"

        "Their fine,"

        "Harry told me awhile ago that you got a new place, how's that working out?"

        "It's nice.  It's not too far from the ministry,"

        "Any boyfriend's?"  He tried to ask casually.

        "Is this an interrogation?"

        "No, not at all.  I'm just wondering,"

        "To answer your question, no, there's nobody in my life right now,"

        She couldn't tell whether or he was relieved by that news.

        "I probably should have asked this earlier, but are you okay with this?  I mean, us – together, planning a wedding,"

        "Ron, if I wasn't okay with it I wouldn't have said yes,"

        That wasn't entirely true.  The only reason she had agreed to it was because Harry had talked her into it.

        "That's good,"

        _Told you, Harry_, Ron thought silently.

        "I've got a confession to make," Ron began slowly.  "The reason I asked for your help was because I was hoping if we spent some time together we'd be able to get back on track.  I hate how even after all this time there's still this – this awkwardness between us.  I know it's largely my fault – if not all my fault," he paused.  He was no good at confessions or expressing how he felt, but he might as well get it over with.  "I need to know if you've forgiven me,"

        "Ron, that was a long time ago,"

        "I know that.  That's why I'm asking,"

        "So, what if I do?  What difference does it make?  It doesn't change anything,"

        "It changes everything.  It's what can make things go back to the way they were between us,"

        She shook her head in disagreement.  "Things can never go back to the way they were, Ron.  We're not kids anymore,"

        "Why are you getting so upset?"

        "Because I hate dragging up the past,"

        "I know that I hurt you.  All I want is your forgiveness,"

        "God, Ron, you sound like you're seventeen all over again,"

        "Hermione, I'm not seventeen anymore.  I've grown up a lot – "  

        "No, you haven't," she cut in.  "you still have no sense of responsibility.  Look at you, Ron, you're getting married in three weeks and you're not even looking for a job.  You're almost twenty-four years old and you still have no idea what you want to do with your life.  And to top it all off, you're still relying on me to come charging in and rescue you whenever you need help.  It's time to grow up, Ron,"

        If Ron was shocked by her harsh words, it was definitely not more than she was.  She couldn't believe those words had come out of her mouth.

        Ron was refusing to make eye contact with her.  His gaze was locked on a nearby table.  His expression was an impassive mask, but his eyes gave him away.  He was angry…. and hurt.

        "I'm sorry," she said in a low voice.  "I – maybe this isn't going to work.  I think we should call it a day,"

        Ron had no arguments with that.  He got up from the table without a word and started walking back towards where Hermione had parked her car.

        She followed him, careful to keep a considerable distance between them.  It was not going to be a fun ride back to The Burrow.

        It was the most miserable car ride Hermione had ever experienced.  Ron had wanted to be brought back to his flat and didn't say one word on the drive there.  When they arrived at it, he mumbled a barely coherent good-bye before stepping out of the car and entering the building.

        On the way back to The Burrow, she kept thinking about how stupid she was for letting Harry talk her into something she had been completely against from the start.  Boy, was she was going to give it to him next time she saw him.

        It was mid-afternoon when she walked up the porch steps and entered the Weasley house.

        She was glad no one was around to greet her.  All she wanted to do was go up to the guest bedroom she had been given and be left alone, before she packed to leave that night.

        Ginny was in her room, lying on her bed reading a magazine, when Hermione walked by.

        "Back so soon?"  Ginny teased.

        "I don't want to talk about it, Gin,"

        Ginny grew serious.  "What happened?"

        "I'm an idiot, that's what happened," she said,  running her fingers through her hair in frustration.  "I knew it wasn't going to work,"

        "What did my brother do?"  Ginny asked, sitting up.

        Hermione walked into her room and flopped down on the bed.  "He wanted to make things right between us and asked for my forgiveness and I threw it back in his face.  I didn't realize a part of me was still mad at him even now,"

        "It's okay to still feel that way, Hermione," Ginny tried to comfort her.  "When you love someone and you think they feel the same way, it's hard to forget that they could do something to hurt you,"

        "I'm a hypocrite, aren't I?  Telling you to forgive Harry, when a part of me can't do the same with Ron,"

        Ginny smiled.  "You're not a hypocrite.  You're just not sure what to do,"

        "Six years is an awful long time to stay mad at someone,"

        "You can't force yourself to forgive him,"

        "I know that.  But I also know that Ron's right.  Our friendship will never go back to what it was if I don't move on.  I've really missed him over the years.  I know we still talk and everything, but it's not the same.  I was always scared I'd let him back in and the same thing would happen,"

        "What are you going to do about the wedding?"  Ginny asked after some time.

        "Ron can handle it.  He's going to have to.  This is going to be the one time I can't be there for him.  And it's time he got used to that,"

        She felt guilty for bailing on him, but Ron would understand.  There wasn't going to be a wedding with the two of them working together.  Ron may have been right about their friendship, but he was wrong when he took all the blame on himself.  He wasn't the only one at fault.

Please keep reviewing.  I'll try and have the next chapter up shortly.


	4. Confessions And Realizations

It's taken a week, but chapter four is finally here.

CHAPTER FOUR:  CONFESSIONS AND REALIZATIONS

        _"Ron, did you get the question on muggle buying behaviour?"_

_        Ron looked up to see Lavender Brown leaning on the edge of the table in the Gryffindor common room where he had his homework sprawled over.  He was somewhat surprised to see her standing there. Sure, she had found reasons to start conversations with him in recent weeks, but he really hadn't expected her to ask for help from him, of all people.  Nevertheless, he showed her his notes._

_        "I just finished that one," he said to her._

_        She quickly read his answer.  "Thanks,"_

_        "No problem,"_

_        He expected her to go away after that, but she stayed right where she was._

_        "Snape was worse than his usual cruel self today," she remarked._

_        "I didn't notice.  It's hard to tell when he's being more of a prick then usual,"_

_        "Tell me about it," she said with a laugh.  "A few more months and I'll never have to see his greasy face again…. Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"_

_        "Yeah," Ron said with a nod._

_        "I guess I'll see you there," she said and walked back to her group of friends huddled by the fire._

_        Ron turned back to his own work, but not before he caught the look being sent in his direction.  "What?"_

_        "That was pretty obvious, Ron," Harry said to him._

_        "What was obvious?"_

_        "She was flirting with you and you were flirting right back," Harry informed him._

_        "So?"_

_        "_So_, you have a girlfriend, unless you've forgotten,"_

_        "Thanks, Harry.  You know, because I almost forgot I was dating Hermione," Ron remarked sarcastically.  "Is it a crime to talk to another girl?  I've seen you do it enough times, and have I ever once reminded you about your commitment to my sister?"_

_        "Ron, what I'm saying is you don't know what it means when Lavender or one of her friends start taking an interest in you,"_

_        A light went on in Ron's head.  "You're jealous.  That's what this is about, isn't it?  For six years Harry Potter was the center of the Hogwarts universe, and now people – namely girls – are starting to notice me and you don't like it,"_

_        "You don't get it, do you Ron?"  Harry said, restraining himself from saying a few choice words that had popped into his head.  "It took you nearly dying last year for some of these people to notice you.  Sure, you're a celebrity now.  You helped me save the school from Voldermort and everyone praised you as a hero.  People like you because of what you did, not who you are.  Hermione's been there for you since the beginning.  She was your friend before any of this happened,"_

_        "You make it sound like I'm breaking up with her,"_

_        "Are you?"_

_        "Jesus, Harry, of course I'm not.  I've waited years to be with her.  She's the best thing that ever happened to me.  I'm not going to screw that up,"_

When Harry walked into Ron's flat he knew right away something was wrong.

        "What are you doing?"  Harry asked him.

        "Just thinking about some stuff," Ron said from his spot on the couch.

        "What's wrong?"

        "What makes you think there's something wrong?"

        Harry indicated to the bottle in his hand.  "Because that's the only time you drink muggle beer.  You said you hate the stuff,"

        "So, that was a dead giveaway, huh?"  He took another drink and shook his head.  "I really thought Hermione and I were over everything that had happened in the past.  I guess I was wrong,"

        Harry fell into the armchair across from him.  "It went that bad?"

        Ron told him about what happened at the café.

        "I'm sorry, Ron,"

        "Don't be.  You're not the one who's a major screw up.  What gets me so mad is not because she said it, but because she's right.  I haven't changed since Hogwarts.  My fiancée is an editor for the _Daily Prophet_ and I don't even have a job.  And I think there's a time limit on how long you can stay mad at someone.  God, I'm twenty-three years old and I'm still relying on – no, expecting – Hermione to be there whenever I need her,"

        "What are you going to do?"

        "I don't know," Ron said with a shrug.  "I have to talk to her, but I can't do that right now,"

        He glanced at his watch and swore.

        "What?"

        "I'm late.  I'm supposed to meet Gillian for dinner," he told Harry, before going into his room to change quickly.

        "Ron, you might want to try looking a little happier, otherwise Gillian's going to ask you what's wrong," Harry said him.

        Ron didn't bother with a reply as he closed the door behind him.

        Harry shook his head and walked into the kitchen to grab himself something to eat.  He hadn't realized just how much of an issue the past still was for them.  Maybe he shouldn't have been so adamant in forcing Hermione to agree to Ron's plan.  Perhaps he had been hoping they had both grown up and moved on.  He should have known better.  This was Ron and Hermione he was talking about.  They had been fighting over every little thing since the first time they'd met each other. 

         The buzzer on the door rang then, and Harry wondered what Ron had forgotten.  But why he hadn't just used his key was beyond Harry.  Harry opened the door but it wasn't Ron standing there – it was a Weasley, however.

        "Ron's not here," Harry told her.

        "That's okay.  I kinda came here to see you," said Ginny awkwardly.

        "Look, Ginny, I really don't want to fight with you.  So why don't you just go back – "

        "I don't want to fight, Harry.  I just want to talk,"

        He found that hard to believe, but regardless of that fact, he invited her in.  She followed him into the kitchen, politely declining his offer of something to drink.

        "Have you seen my brother since this morning?"

        "Yeah," he answered.  "Am I right in assuming you've talked to Hermione?"

        Ginny nodded.

        Neither of them said anything for a while, until Ginny broke the silence.  "I think she still loves him,"

        Harry shrugged.  "I guess when you really care about someone, it's hard to get over them,"

        "I know about Romania," she blurted out.

        Harry looked at her as if she just told him she had the plague, before he recovered enough to speak.  "Gin, I don't know what you're talking about,"

        "Harry, I know about the dark wizards and what they did to you,"

        "You don't know what you're talking about," he tried to convince her.

        She hesitated before speaking.  Hermione was going to kill her.  "Hermione told me last night,"

        Harry was shaking his head.  "She can't know that either,"

        "But she does, Harry.  A long time ago a report landed on her desk with your name on it and she read it.  She never told anyone about it until now,"

        "What the hell was she thinking, reading it?" He fumed.  "And then telling you about it.  That's classified,"

        "After she told me, I needed to see it for myself," Ginny said, staring down at the ground, ashamed.

        Harry looked horrified.  "Gin, you didn't,"

        "I did.  I went with my dad to the Ministry today.  He thought it was because I wanted to give him a hand, but it was the perfect opportunity to look for the file without anyone around,"

        Harry was growing angrier by the second.  "Do you have any idea how much trouble you could have gotten your dad in if you were caught?  What about Hermione?  If anyone finds out what she did, no matter how long about it was, she could lose her job,"

        "I know that, and that's why I was careful.  I haven't told anyone what she told me,"

        Harry couldn't believe this.  She was actually trying to justify what she had done.

        "Why didn't you tell me?"

        "When should I have done that?  During one of the few moments you weren't hating me to my face?  You know that most of the stuff I do I can't talk about,"

        "It happened after we broke up, didn't it?"

        "What difference does it make?"

        "I don't know," 

        "No, the answer is it makes no difference," he corrected her.  "I do my job knowing what could happen.  But I do it because its what I do.  You could never understand that and I made a fatal mistake one time letting you come with me on a routine operation in France where I was only supposed to pick up some information and you nearly got killed,"

        "I told you I could take care of myself,"

        "I still shouldn't have listened to you," he said.  "And I don't need you coming over here because you feel sorry for me.  People have been doing that since before I was born, and I don't want your pity or sympathy or whatever your feeling.  Romania was no different then any other assignment I've done over the years.  I lived through it and moved on.  If I hadn't I'd be dead right now,"

        "How can you act like it was nothing?  Harry, I _read_ the report.  I _saw_ the pictures.  I can only imagine what you must have gone through,"

        Harry was done listening.  "Ginny, please go,"

        She blinked.  He was kicking her out?  "I'm only trying – "

        "Get out," he said more forcibly this time.  "And don't bring this up ever again,"

        He wouldn't even look at her now.

        Ginny had to show herself to the door.  She was in a state of shock.  She had come there thinking that she would follow Hermione's advice and be understanding and forgive him.  But he didn't want that.  He had thrown her out because even now, he still had problems opening up to people and letting them in.  It was a persona Ginny had seen him use many times.  But Ginny knew underneath that act he was just as fragile as the next person.

Next Chapter:  We finally meet Gillian.

It might take another week for chapter five, if I get as much homework as I got last week.  I thank everyone in advance for their patience.


	5. A Second Chance

CHAPTER FIVE:  A SECOND CHANCE

        _"You and Ron had another fight,"_

_        It was a statement not a question._

_        Harry shrugged.  There was no point in denying it because Hermione would be able to tell he was lying._

_        It was just the two of them on their way down to visit Hagrid before Harry's Quidditch game.  Ron had made up some excuse about needing to do research in the library.  For Ron, that was an excuse that wasn't even remotely believable._

_"You guys have been fighting a lot lately," She commented.  "What's going on?"_

_Harry kicked at a stone.  "It's nothing,"_

_She touched his arm and he stopped walking.  "Harry, you can tell me.  I'm not going to say anything to Ron,"_

_"I know that.  I'm sorry," he said to her.  "It's just – does Ron seem different to you this year?"_

_Hermione gave him a puzzled look.  "I'm not sure what you mean, Harry.  Ron's the same as he's always been,"_

_"I don't know.  It just seems like since he helped in defeating Voldermort last year, that he thinks he's better then most people,"_

_"Is this what you two fought about?"_

_"Not exactly.  He thinks I'm jealous of the attention he's getting now,"_

_"Are you?"_

_He had flat-out denied it to Ron, but he wasn't so quick to say the same to Hermione.  In fact, he didn't say anything at all._

_"Harry, there's nothing wrong with being a bit jealous.  God knows Ron's been jealous of you for years.  You should cut him some slack.  He's been stuck under the shadows of his brothers and his best friend for most of his life.  People have finally started to notice him.  I'm happy that he's finally getting some attention,"_

_"Even the attention he's getting from certain members of the female population?"  Harry said, raising an eyebrow._

_"Even that," she confirmed.  "Harry, I trust Ron.  You should to,"_

_"I do, and you're right.  The only thing I know Ron can't be trusted with is to complete a school assignment on time,"_

_Hermione grinned at him.  "Don't worry, I'm working on that,"_

        It was nearly noon on Monday and Hermione was making pretty good headway on the mountain of paperwork that had piled up on her desk over the weekend.  It had helped that she had come into the office on Sunday and done some work then.  She had reasoned that if she was going to be miserable, she might as well be miserable at work and accomplish something.  She hadn't spoken to Ron since Saturday, but she had called Harry yesterday.  He had sounded terrible when he had picked up the phone, but that hadn't stopped her from yelling at him that this mess was his fault and saying she never should have let him talk her into helping Ron.  Then Harry had vented on her for reading a classified file on him and telling Ginny, before hanging up on her.

        That had certainly been an unexpected turn of events.  She had been hoping afterwards that she'd been able to talk to Harry about what had happened between her and Ron, but that didn't seem likely to happen anytime soon.  He had never been angry with her like this before.  She was going to have to sit down and have a talk with a certain Weasley about revealing information she had disclosed to her in confidence.  Of course, she should have known that Ginny wouldn't have been able to keep her mouth shut.  Hermione doubted she would have acted any differently in her position.  

         She heard a knock on her office door.

        "It's open," she called.  She lifted her head to see who the visitor was.

        Ron.

        "Hey," he said uncertainly, from his spot in the doorway.

        "Hey," she responded back.  She had expected to be back on good terms with Harry long before her and Ron finally got around to speaking to each other again.  

        "They said it was fine that I come up here.  Is it okay?"

        "Yeah, it's no problem," she told him.

        He looked a little more at ease after that and walked in.  Normally, he would have sat down on one of the heavily cushioned chairs in her office, but today it looked like he preferred to stand.

        "I didn't expect to see you here," she said to him.

        "Yeah, well, I was in the neighbourhood," he said jokingly.

        It went silent and they both looked at each other.

        "I'm sorry," they both blurted out simultaneously.

        They laughed nervously breaking some of the attention, before Ron said.  "You first.  It's your office,"

        Hermione wasn't laughing any longer.  "I'm sorry about what I said.  It wasn't fair,"

        "There's nothing to be sorry about telling the truth," 

        "Ron – "

        He waved a hand.  "Please don't apologize anymore, Hermione.  You were right.  It's as simple as that.  I can't expect there to be a time limit on how long you can stay mad at someone.  I guess I got what I deserved for bringing up the past, huh?"

        "Ron, I didn't say those things to hurt you,"

        "I know you didn't," he said, and he looked like he genuinely believed her.  "It just took me nearly three days of feeling sorry for myself to realize that."  He looked at her now and said, "I'm sorry I ruined your weekend,"

        "And I'm sorry I wasn't much help for your wedding,"

        "Okay, how about we make a deal?  No more apologizing.  We never used to and this is getting to be a bit much,"

        She nodded, smiling.  "Deal,"

        Ron grinned.  "Great.  So how about you come to lunch with me?"

        Her smile faded.  Was he blind to the pile on her desk?

        He seemed to know what she was thinking.  "Come on, Hermione.  Is an hour really going to make that much of a difference?  You need to eat.  Besides, you've already accomplished more than you should have because you came in on Sunday,"

        "How do you know that?"

        "My dad," he explained to her.

        "Hermione, please?  Gillian's downstairs in the lobby and I thought over lunch we could tell her what we accomplished on the weekend.  I know it doesn't matter much now because you're not helping anymore, but she might actually believe I did something if I had a witness,"

        She gave in.  "Fine.  Let's go," she said grabbing her jacket.  "I'm going to hold you to that one hour,"

        He held the door open for her.  "After you,"

        It was a cold, rainy day in London, and the three of them apparated just outside a small restaurant not too far from the ministry. 

        "I'm freezing," Gillian complained.  "Let's go inside,"

        She led the way inside and the three wizards were immediately shown to a table.

        Hermione had only seen Gillian several times, but it wasn't hard to tell what Ron saw in her.  She was chief editor for the _Daily Prophet_, which meant she had to have some brains; she was blonde, tall, self-assured and nothing at all like Hermione.  Why she was even comparing herself to Gillian was beyond her.

        "I talked to some people at the P_rophet_, and there's an opening if you want it," Gillian said to Ron.

        Ron clenched his jaw.  "I told you I wasn't working there,"

        "Ron, I just think if you gave it a chance it might provide you with some direction.  You are planning on getting a real job besides playing Quidditch for fun right?"

        "I really wish everyone would stop thinking they know what's best for me and let me make my own decisions," said Ron, his temper starting to show through.

        "Did Ron tell you what we accomplished on the weekend?"  Hermione intervened.

        "No," she said, turning to face Hermione.  "We were kind of busy on the weekend,"

        Ron's face reddened.  "We did do a lot though," he said quickly.  "The menus are done.  Here look at this," he said, pulling out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket.  "We did the food and I figured out what I was going to wear,"

        She took the paper and read it.  Her expression transformed into a giant frown the longer she looked at it.

        "What is it?"  Ron asked.  "I took care of two important things,"

        "Yes, you did,"

        He didn't understand.  "Then what's the problem?"

        "You did all this in muggle stores,"

        "So?"

        "So, I thought we had agreed on a wizard type wedding,"

        "It's still going to be a wizard wedding.  The way the food's prepared is not going to change that,"

        "What about what you're wearing?"

        "It's the modern look for wizards – from what I've been told,"

        "No offence to muggles, Ron, but why the sudden change of heart?  Usually, you could care less about their customs or the way they do things,"

        "I just didn't see what the big deal was to incorporate both into our wedding.  Some of my friends were brought up as muggles and will appreciate the split between the two,"

        "Well, it's not their wedding, is it?"  She sighed.  "I need to check back with the office.  I'll be back in a minute," she said and got up from the table."

        "I'm sorry," Ron said to Hermione when she was gone.

        "I thought we made a deal not to apologize anymore,"

        "I'm breaking it," he informed her.  "She didn't mean that stuff about muggles.  Her wizarding blood goes back generations,"

        "Why didn't you tell her the 'muggle way' wasn't your idea?"

        "It may not have been my idea but I'm going along with it," he said with a shrug.

        "Ron, you don't have to.  I should have taken into consideration that Gillian might not want things done our way,"

        "_Our_ way?"  Ron repeated.

        "Isn't that what you say when two people work together?"

        "I thought we weren't going to do that,"

        "I know.  But I think now that we've cleared some things out of the way, it'll work,"

        He didn't know what to say.  A few hours ago, he wasn't even sure if he had a best friend left and now he had a best friend and a wedding planner.

        "Hermione, are you sure?  Because I'll understand if you don't want to,"

        "I'm sure," she assured him.  "You know me, once I start something I have to finish it.  Say good-bye to Gillian for me," she said, pushing away from the table.  "I really should get back.  And I _will_ eat something," she promised.

        She had only gotten a few steps from the table when Ron called to her.

        "Hermione?"

        "Yeah?"

        "Thanks,"

        She left the restaurant feeling better then she had in a long time.


	6. That One Fatal Mistake

CHAPTER SIX:  THAT ONE FATAL MISTAKE

        _"So, this is where you're hiding,"_

_        Ron fought down the urge to jump out of his skin at the sound of the voice, but even then he didn't think it completely covered up the fact that he was startled from being snuck up on.  He looked up from his book and saw Lavender trying to fight back a smile.  Great, it was that obvious that she had surprised him._

_        "I'm not hiding," he informed her._

_        She crossed her arms over her chest.  "Ron, I may not know you that well but even I know you avoid the library at all costs,"_

_        "I guess you got me there," he said forcing a grin._

_        "Are you going to the Quidditch match?"_

_        "Nah, I think I'll stay here,"_

_        "Because you're mad at Harry?"  She inquired._

_        "Yeah, I guess," he replied with a shrug.  "It actually gives me the perfect opportunity to start my Divination project – which I should have started a week ago,"_

_        "I don't think I've ever seen you and Harry mad at each other except for that time in fourth year," she said, pulling up a chair beside him._

_        "Can we not talk about Harry? That's kind've the reason why I came up here, so I wouldn't have to deal with him or – "_

_        "Hermione," Lavender supplied._

_        "I'm not avoiding her.  It's just she'll want me to talk about it and I really don't want to drag her into my problems with Harry,"_

_        "She means a lot to you, huh?"_

_        "Yes,"_

_        He even surprised himself at how fast he had answered that.  It had taken nearly five years of denial for that answer to come to him naturally._

_        "Yet she's out with Harry instead of here with you,"_

_        "Harry's her best friend too.  I don't expect her to be angry at him just because I am,"_

_        "Well, if you were my boyfriend, I'd take your side,"_

_        He was still taking in what she had said when he found her planting her lips on his.  When he didn't resist, she deepened the kiss.  By the time he got around to stopping it, she was sitting on his lap, straddling him._

_        He didn't know what to stay.  He had never been kissed like that before – so full of passion and warmth.  It wasn't as if he had kissed a whole lot of girls, in fact, he had only kissed one before that._

_        "What's wrong?"  She asked when he stopped.  _

_She still hadn't gotten off of him._

_        "I can't do this," he told her, and removed her from himself.  "I have a girlfriend,"_

_        He realized he was saying that as much to convince himself as he was her._

_"I know you do," she said, still extremely close to him.  "Tell me, Ron, have you and Hermione had sex?"_

_"I don't really think that's any of your business," he stammered, growing red in the face._

_"Usually when people say that it means 'no',"_

_Ron said nothing and looked at the floor._

_"Are you a virgin, Ron?"_

_His face was growing redder by the second, but he kept his gaze focused his on shoes, until Lavender gently touched his cheek, forcing him to look at her._

_She stared intently into his ice blue eyes.  "Do you still want to be one?"_

_He had no control over his limbs as Lavender took his hand and led him down an aisle, with shelves full of old, dusty books that looked like they hadn't been touched since Hogwarts opened.  He recognized instantly where she had taken him. It was rumoured this was the spot where many of the students came to fool around._

_What was he getting himself into?_

_That thought and all other thoughts of reason vanished the second Lavender had him pushed up against one of the bookshelves and started kissing him; first his mouth and then his neck.  He unfastened her robe, letting it drop to the ground while he reached around her and put his hands up underneath the back of her shirt, pressing his body into hers as he did it.  Lavender moaned with delight, pulling him down to the floor with her…_

"Ron?  Ron, are you even listening to me?"  Gillian said impatiently.

        "Sorry," he apologized.  "My mind keeps wandering.  I think we've been at this too long," he said, rubbing his eyes.

        Their entire afternoon had been spent in Gillian's apartment going over all the details of the reception, from the point when the guests arrived right down to where each individual person would be sitting.

        "Once we get the seating arrangement finished we don't have to look at this stuff again tonight.  Of course, you could have taken care of this little detail already," she added with a knowing look at him. 

        "I told you already," he began, slightly annoyed, "Hermione and I didn't get to that last weekend,"

        "It has nothing to do with that, Ron.  You could have done this yourself, you know.  You and I had already discussed which guests would be sitting at what table.  I'm starting to think you don't want this wedding to happen,"

        "Hey, that's not true,"

        "Did Hermione convince you to have a muggle wedding?"

        That comment elicited a spark of anger within him.  "She didn't convince me to do anything.  And it's not a muggle wedding, there's just certain muggle aspects to it,"

        "At least she can motivate you to get something done," Gillian remarked.

        "What's that supposed to mean?"

        "It means you hardly lifted a finger with this wedding until she came along,"

        "You're the one who said it was okay that I ask for her help," he pointed out.

        "You're right.  I did, but now I'm starting to think that wasn't such a good idea,"

        Ron got up from the couch and let out an exasperated sigh.  "I told you why I needed her help,"

        "Yes, I know, because you thought it was the only way you could repair your friendship.  But is that the only reason?"

        "Of course it's the only bloody reason!"  He shouted.  "I'm not interested in her.  I haven't been for a long time,"

        "You've never told me why your friendship with her is wrecked,"

        "Does that matter?"

        "It matters to me.  We're getting married, Ron, and if you can't tell me one silly, little secret from your days as a teenager, we have a problem,"

        He had to fight to keep from yelling at her for calling it 'silly' and 'little'.  It wasn't her fault.  She had no idea what he had done.  "I made some stupid choices that cost me her trust.  That's all.  I thought you wanted to get this done, but you're too busy grilling me for information on things that happened a lifetime ago,"

        "Well, I don't feel like working on it anymore," she said simply.

        "Fine," Ron said, fed up and grabbed his jacket off the coffee table.  "I'll talk to you later.  I need to get some air,"

        Neither one said good-bye as he left her apartment.  He knew he had to get out of there then before his temper took over and he said some things he would regret.  Hermione was the only person who could handle his temper and the things he said while he was under its influence.  If he let loose on Gillian, there would most definitely not be a wedding happening anytime in the near future – and maybe not at all.

        "Hermione, please, slow down," Ginny begged of her friend.

         Hermione came to a complete stop, allowing her friend to catch up.  "I thought you wanted to jog with me,"

        "I wouldn't call this jogging," Ginny panted, when she had finally caught up to her.  "It's more like running at the speed of light," she said, grabbing at her side where a cramp had formed.

        "Sorry.  I should have taken it a bit easier.  But this is what I do after a day of work.  It helps me to relax,"

        "You mean drop dead?"

        "Come on, Gin, we're almost to your house.  Are you ready to go on?"

        "How about I just apparate at The Burrow and you meet me there?"  She suggested.

        "You were the one who wanted to join me," Hermione reminded her.

        "All right," Ginny huffed.  "Just give me another minute,"

        Hermione gave her exactly that before starting up again.  Groaning in protest, Ginny followed her.

        "So, I hear you took my brother shopping in London," Ginny called ahead to her.

        Hermione slowed down but didn't look back.  "Is this an attempt to get me to stop again?"

        "Maybe," she admitted.  "My brother doesn't let just anyone take him shopping in a non-wizard area,"

        This time Hermione did stop.  "What are you getting at Gin?"

        Panting, and still holding the stitch in her side, Ginny said, "you're telling me you have no clue?"

        Hermione looked at her blankly.

        Ginny shook her head.  "For an extremely intelligent person, Hermione, you sure miss the simplest things.  Why do you think Ron let you pick those shops?"

        Hermione shrugged.  "Because he had no choice?"

        Ginny shook her head again.  "Because it's _you_.  Believe me when I tell you there's not anyone else on this earth that Ron would have let talk him into shopping at a muggle store – especially for his own wedding,"

        "He could have said no.  He's said no to me plenty of times before,"

        Ginny was growing frustrated.  "You really don't get it, do you?  He let you pick them, because it's _you_.  He still – "

        "Ginny, if you finish that sentence I'm leaving you right here," she warned.

        "Hermione, his wedding was going to be a traditional wizard one until you came along.  What does that say?"

        "It says you're reading into something that's not there," Hermione said and started jogging away – and nearly collided into Harry.

        Had he just apparated there all of the sudden?  She wondered how much of their conversation he had heard.  She looked at his face, but it revealed nothing.

        "Harry, what are you doing here?"

        "I need to talk to Ginny,"

        She didn't miss the fact that he was purposely avoiding eye contact with her.

        "Harry – "

        "Hermione, I said I needed to talk to Ginny," 

        She took the hint.  He was still furious with her and there was no way she was going to change that at the moment.  The best thing she could do was get of his way.  "I'll see you back at the house, Gin," she said, before running away.

        Harry said nothing, even after Hermione had left.  It was up to Ginny to break the silence.  "What is it, Harry?"

        "Can we go for a walk?"

        She nodded silently.

        He fell into step beside her and together they walked in the opposite direction from The Burrow in silence.

Hope you enjoyed it!  Keep letting me know what you think.  I appreciate all the reviews I've gotten so far.

I'll try and have chapter seven up by Friday or Saturday.


	7. Guilty Conscience

As promised, here's chapter seven…

CHAPTER SEVEN:  GUILTY CONSCIENCE

        "You shouldn't be mad at Hermione," Ginny said, breaking the silence when it became more than she could bear.  "I'm the one who shouldn't have said anything,"

        "You're right," Harry agreed.  "I should be mad at the both of you,"

        Ginny stopped walking and looked at him.  Was this why he had wanted to talk to her?  So he could try and make her feel like this mess was her fault?

        "If you came here so you could tell me off some more, I would rather you have just stayed away,"

        "I don't really know why I came here," he admitted.

        "So you just apparated here because you felt like it?"

        He didn't have an answer for that.

        They walked on in silence, and it wasn't long before their current path brought them to a small park neither of them had ever been to before.  Ginny went over to a set of nearby swings and sat down on one.  She was surprised when she saw Harry do the same.

        "What do you want to know?"  He asked after some time.

        "Harry, that's not why I looked through that file,"

        "Then why did you do it?"  He said, facing her.

        "Because I care,"

        She looked at the ground when she said it.

        "I'm not angry because you read it," he said.  "I know that's how it looked that day you came to the apartment, but that wasn't it.  I was upset because no one should have to read that, and I would have thought Hermione, of all people, would have had the sense to realize that before she told you,"

        "Harry, it's not your job to protect the world from every evil.  I know you think that it is, but it isn't,"

        "There are some things people are better off not knowing, Gin,"

        "That may be true, but people have a right to know what's out there.  They should know what people like you face every day,"

        "I can't agree with you on that,"

        "Would you stop thinking like 'Harry the Auror' and think like ' Harry Potter' for a minute?"  His eyes widened at her words, but he didn't speak.  "Harry, you've changed so much since Hogwarts.  I know you've always had a lot of responsibilities – that you've always did what was expected of you.  But none of those choices you've had to make has ever been your own.  You've spent your whole life living up to everyone else's expectations, that you've completely ignored your own,"

        "This _is_ who I am, Ginny,"

        "No, this is who you _think_ you're supposed to be," She corrected him.

        "Where is all this coming from? A week ago you wouldn't have cared if I had disappeared off the face of the earth,"

        "Let's just say I've had a lot of time to think since then,"

        He sat there in stunned silence.  He hadn't been expecting this from her – this sudden change of heart about her attitude towards him.

        "Harry, what if you woke up one morning and decided to make a choice of your own?"

        "I do make my own choices.  Every day,"

        "Stop!  You're thinking like 'Harry the Auror' again.  You choose what is expected of you, not what you want.  Think about it Harry, is this how you want to live the rest of your life?  When does Harry Potter get to have a life of his own?"

        Those were two good questions.  And he didn't have the answer to either one of them.  Fortunately for him, Ginny wasn't expecting him to.

        "Ginny!"

        They both looked up and saw Colin Creevy heading towards them.

        "You're mum said you'd be out here somewhere," he said, ignoring Harry completely.

        Colin's usual cold attitude towards Harry showed him Ginny had at least managed to keep to herself what she had found out.

        "I should go," Harry said, and got up from the swing.  "Good-bye, Ginny,"

        He started walking away when Ginny called to him.

        "Just think about what I said,"

        He nodded and kept walking.

        He walked for some distance before deciding to turn around and apparate.  The last thing he saw before disappearing was Ginny and Colin embracing tenderly.

        _Ron was a wreck.  And it was hard to keep a fact like that from Hermione._

_        Over the course of the past two weeks, his guilt was slowly eating away at him. He was having trouble sleeping at night; he wasn't eating right and on more than one occasion found himself unable to look Hermione in the eye when he was talking to her.  He didn't know if she had picked up on any of it, but she was a bright girl and if he didn't pull himself together – and fast – she was going to figure out why he was acting the way he was._

_        At least Lavender wasn't making the situation worse.  After that afternoon in the library, she had kept her usual distance from him.  Of course it was impossible to avoid each other altogether when they had most of the same classes, but Ron had managed to sit as far away from her as possible and avoid being partnered up with her in any activities._

_        He thought things might turn out okay until the other day in the Great Hall, Pavarti and some of her friends had been staring at him and snickering.  He needed to know if Lavender had said anything to anyone, but that was Sunday night and asking to speak to her alone in a common room full of people would have looked suspicious._

_        He had skipped Care of Magical Creatures, knowing Hagrid wouldn't be too hard on him, to make sure he was there when Lavender got out of Astronomy.  He was alone in the corridor, waiting for the class to end.  When it finally did, he waited against the wall until he saw her come out._

_        "We need to talk," he growled in a low voice and pulled her down a deserted corridor._

_        "What is it?"_

_        "Did you tell anyone about what happened with us?"_

_        "No, I didn't,"_

_        "Are you lying?  Because I saw Pavarti starting at me like she knew something,"_

_        "You're paranoid," she said to him.  "I didn't tell her or anyone else anything.  Why would I?  You have a girlfriend and it was just a one-time thing.  I mean it was great but we both only wanted that one time,"_

_        "That's it?"_

_        She regarded him curiously.  "Why?  What were you expecting?  Did you want it to happen again?"_

_        "No!  Of course not," he said quickly._

_        "Then no harm done."  She said it as if it made everything okay.  "I gotta say, Ron, you were a lot easier then Harry was,"_

_        Ron had to hold onto the wall for support.  "What?!"_

_        If he found out Harry had cheated on his sister…_

_        "He wouldn't even let me kiss him," she told him.  "I gotta get to class, Ron, I'll see you later,"_

_        She left him standing there, clutching the wall for support.  He had half a mind to bang his head against it a few dozen times.  How could he have been so stupid?  Maybe naïve might have been the better word.  He thought Harry had been jealous, but all he had been trying to do was warn him.  And he had just been too thickheaded to see it._

_        "Ron!"_

_        Hermione was jogging towards him._

_        He took a deep.  _Pull yourself together, Weasley.__

_        Forcing a smile, he said, "Hey,"_

_        "Where have you been?  You weren't in Hagrid's class,"_

_        "I know.  I wasn't feeling well," he lied._

_        She placed the back of her hand on his forehead.  "You feel kind've warm," she noted with some concern._

_        "I'm fine.  Really," he tried to assure her, pulling her hand away._

_        She looked skeptical.  "Are you sure?  You've been acting kind've off lately,"_

_        "It's probably just a flu bug or something.  I'll walk you to Arithmacy,"_

_        Hermione wasn't budging.  "Ron, there's something wrong.  Why can't you just tell me?"_

_        "Mione, trust me.  Nothing's wrong,"_

_        Still unconvinced, she let him take her to class.  It was Ron.  When he was ready he would tell her what was wrong and they would deal with it together._

"Here, try this one,"

        "Ron, that's too much chocolate,"

        "There's no such thing,"

        Somewhat under protest, Hermione popped the piece of triple fudge chocolate cake with chocolate icing into her mouth.

        "Well?"  Ron prompted.

        "It's too sweet," she said with her mouth half full.

        "You know what your problem is, don't you?  You don't have a sweet tooth,"

        She rolled her eyes.

        "But seriously, which ones did you like the best?"

        "Those ones," she said pointing to two different cakes on a chart they had.

        "I was thinking why couldn't the wedding cake have a layer of each of these?"  He caught the look she was sending him.  "Okay, okay, your choices were good,"

        "You know, this hasn't been a very productive evening," she said to him.

        Ron looked aghast.  "Not productive?  Hermione, the wedding cake is the most important part.  Even I know that about weddings,"

        He was trying to goad out a reaction from her, but she didn't fall for it.  "There's still a few more left," she said, looking at the nearly empty box that two hours ago had been full of cake samples. 

        "All right," said Ron, closing his eyes and opening his mouth.  "Surprise me,"

        She did one better than that.  The next time he opened his eyes there was cake all over his face.

        He looked at her in astonishment and wiped his hand down his face, which came up full of vanilla frosting.  "I can't believe you just did that," he said to her.

        Hermione was fighting to keep from laughing.  "You did say 'surprise me',"

        "I did say that," he conceded.  "But you do realize what you've started?"  He answered his own question.  "A cake fight!"

        He leapt off the couch and before Hermione could react in time, he smashed a sample of cake into her own face.  He was doubled over with laughter when Hermione jumped off the couch and onto his back, flattening cake into his hair.

        "You cheater!"  He shouted.  "I'm going to have to teach you a lesson!"

        Whatever that lesson was, he never got a chance to show her because the sound of someone clearing their throat caught their attention.

        They both looked surprised and somewhat embarrassed to see Harry standing there in front of them.  He looked to be having some difficulty keeping a straight face.

        "Hi Harry," Ron said as innocently as he could.

        Hermione slid down off his back, having a hard time making eye contact with Harry.

        "You're back early," Ron noted.

        "Is that a problem?"  Harry asked, looking his two cake covered friends over.

        "No, not at all.  We were just, ah, you know – "

        "Picking out cake," Hermione jumped in.

        "I can see that," Harry noted with some amusement.

        "Ginny called for you," Ron told him, trying to take the spotlight off himself and Hermione.  "What's that all about?  I thought she wasn't talking to you – ow!  What was that for?"  He said, rubbing the spot on his side where Hermione had just elbowed him.

        "I'm going to go," she said, ignoring Ron.  "I'll see you two tomorrow,"

        She was almost at the door when Harry said, "you might want to clean yourself up a bit before you go out there.  It's just a thought,"

        Her face was bright red with embarrassment.  "Right.  Good idea,"

        She walked straight passed him on her way to the bathroom.  She didn't miss the look in his eyes that told her things were okay with them again.  She wondered what had happened between him and Ginny yesterday.

        "Don't start," Ron warned when the door to the bathroom had closed.

        Harry raised his hands in self-defense.  "I didn't say anything,"

        "No, but you were going to,"

        "All I was going to say is you two seemed to be hard at work when I walked in,"

        "We were," Ron insisted.  "Until a little cake mishap happened," he added.  "Are you going to tell me why my sister called?"

        Harry shrugged.  "How should I know?"

        Ron wasn't buying that act.  "You liar," he accused.

        "So what if I am?  It's really none of your business, Ron.  She called for me, not you, remember?  What are you going to do?  Kick me out if I don't tell you?"

        "The thought had crossed my mind – just briefly, though,"

        "Good-night, Ron.  Say good-bye to Hermione for me,"

        He watched Harry disappear down the hall and into the spare bedroom.

        He was going to find out what was going on with them.  It was his duty as a big brother after all.  Maybe he might even be able to convince Hermione to help him.


	8. What A Mess

Sorry it's taken so long to post, but I've been having technical difficulties with my computer.  It keeps freezing all the time, making it extremely hard to write more than a paragraph before it freezes up and I have to shut it down.  I'm getting it fixed next weekend, so soon I'll be able to update regularly again.  Thanks for your patience!

CHAPTER EIGHT:  WHAT A MESS

        "I'm actually kind of glad that my parents had to go to that dentist's convention for the Christmas break," Hermione confessed as she and Ron walked along in the snow.  "Otherwise I don't think we would have seen each other until we got back to Hogwarts,"

_        "I don't think you would have lasted two weeks without seeing me."  He ducked as she made a snowball and hurled it at him.  "I never said I would have made it through the two weeks,"_

_        "It was really nice of your parents to let me stay here,"_

_        "You've stayed here before,"_

_        "Things are different now," she pointed out.  She grabbed his hand to prove her point._

_        "Right as usual," he remarked.  "Where's Harry and Ginny?  They were right behind us," he said, turning around to look for them._

_        "Maybe they wanted some alone time.  It is kind of hard with a house full of people,"_

_        "'Alone time'?"  He said, shaking his head.  "I could have done without hearing the words Harry, alone time, and my sister in the same sentence,"_

_        "Does this help?"  She said, leaning upwards and kissing him._

_        "Maybe," he replied when they parted.  He moved to kiss her, but she pulled away._

_        "I think it's time we went back inside, don't you?"  She said, smiling innocently._

_        "Unless you want to be the latest victim of a Weasley snowball assault," he said to her, grinning just as innocently._

_        Her reflexes were good, but not good enough to get out of the way of a snowball that hit her square in the shoulder.  But Hermione was not one to give up without a fight, and snowball smacked Ron right in his cheek._

_        "You never play fair," he complained, but he was smiling nonetheless.  "But that only means I get to break the rules too,"_

_        Twenty minutes later, soaking wet and freezing, they arrived back at The Burrow.  The lights were still out when they got inside, which meant the rest of the Weasley's were still out visiting Mr. Weasley's sister.  The only reason Ginny and Ron had managed to get out of it was because they had 'friends' to entertain._

_        "This is something I'm not used to around here," Ron said as he took off his wet jacket and hung it over a chair._

_        "What?"_

_        "Silence,"_

_        She knew what he meant.  Any of the times she had visited The Burrow it was very rare not to hear some explosion coming from the Twins' rooms or people conversing loudly to one another._

_        "You're freezing," he said, noticing how she was shivering as he helped her get her coat off._

_        "So are you."  She pointed to the goose bumps on his bare arms._

_        "Nah, I'm fine.  Come on, you should change into some warm clothes,"_

_        He started leading her up the stairs when she stopped him.  "I don't have any dry clothes,"_

_        "Of course you do.  Don't tell me all that luggage you brought was full of books?"_

_        "No, but I was busy this last week of school trying to finish my assignments before the holidays, that I had planned on doing laundry when I got here.  I was going to do it yesterday, but I didn't get around to it,"_

_        He couldn't resist teasing her.  "You mean, you actually forgot to do something?" _

_        "Ron – "_

_        "Hey, be nice," he cut her off, "or else I won't lend you some of my clothes,"_

_        "You're clothes are too big for me,"_

_        "I'm sure you'll find something.  You can't stay in those wet things, that's for sure,"_

_        "As long as it doesn't have the Chudley Cannons on it,"_

_        "Hey, beggars can't be choosers," he said, and led her up to his room._

_        It was relatively cleaner then on passed visits, but Ron soon took care of that when he started pulling clothes out of a dresser and dropping them on the floor until he found what he was looking for._

_        "Here," he said, handing her an over-sized sweatshirt and a pair of jeans that were too small for him.  "See, no Cannons,"_

_        She took them from him, not sure if she should be grateful or horrified because it looked like she would drown in them._

_        They stood there for several seconds staring at each other, before Ron cleared his throat and said," I'll wait outside 'til you're done,"    _

_        He was about to leave when she stopped him.  "You don't have to go," she said softly, licking her lips._

_        There was a sense of uncertainty in her voice.  He had to ask, "are you sure?"_

_        After a few moments of consideration, she nodded her head.  "Yes,"_

_        For a brief moment, a picture of Lavender landed in his mind, before he buried it. That was weeks ago and the biggest mistake of his life.  He was with Hermione now.  She had always been the one he had wanted to be with.  Lavender was not even on his mind as he pulled Hermione's shirt up over her head…_

"How's that one, Gillian?"  Ron asked through the closed curtain.

        "Definitely my favourite one so far," she told him.

        "Thank god," he muttered under his breath, and went back join Hermione on the couch, who was sifting through a copy of _Witch Weekly_ in the Wedding Dress shop.

        "It could be worse, Ron," Hermione said to him, unable to hide her amusement.  "You could be the one trying the dresses on,"

        He snorted.  "Well, then there sure as hell wouldn't be a wedding, I can tell you that much,"

        "How's this one?"  Gillian said, stepping out into the open.

        She turned around in a full circle, showing off the dress.  It was a snowy white colour, with a long train at the bottom.

        The witch who owned the shop, had managed to design several dresses in a matter of minutes based on Gillian's description of what she was looking for.  She had spent the last hour trying them on.

        "You look beautiful in all the dresses," Ron told her.

        "I've got it down to two choices," she said to them.  "This one, and remember the first one I tried on?"

        "Which one do you like better?"  He asked patiently.

        "I'll have to look at the first one again,"

        Ron had to fight to keep from sighing. 

        "Hermione, would you mind putting that other dress on?  That way I can look at them both at the same time and decide,"

        Hermione was about to protest, when Ron whispered in her ear, "Hermione, if you care about me at all, you'll try on that dress so I don't end up spending my wedding and honeymoon in this place,"

        He was practically begging her to put him out of his misery.  She did feel sorry for him, and that was the only reason she agreed to do it.  "You're going to owe me a lifetime's worth of favours after this," she told him.

        "Don't worry.  I'll make it up to you," he promised.

        Still somewhat under protest, she took the dress Gillian handed and went behind the curtain to change.  A wedding dress was a lot different to what she was used to wearing, so it took her a few moments to change into it.  She hesitated before stepping out from behind the curtain.  She really didn't want to go out there.  She felt more than a little self-conscious wearing that dress.  But there was no point in delaying the inevitable.  She might as well go out there and get it over with.  Taking a deep breath, she pulled back the curtain.

        "I was starting to think you got lost in – "

        Whatever else Ron was going to say died in his throat when he looked at her.

        She had never seen him at a loss for words before.  Ron always had some smart-ass comment or another to say, but he was speechless.

        "You look good," he managed to choke out finally.

        "Which one do you like better?"  Gillian said, turning Hermione around so he could get a better look at her dress.  "I think I like this one better," she said, without waiting for his response.  "Don't you agree Ron?"

        He was barely able to nod his head in agreement.

        "Good.  I'm glad we finally agree on something.  Come with me, Hermione, we have to show Mrs. Freeland this is the dress I'm going to need.

        Hermione shot Ron a helpless look, hoping he would rescue her, but he wasn't paying attention.  He didn't even seem to notice when Gillian dragged her into Mrs. Freeland's private office.

        "Harry, you awake?"

        He was turned on his side, facing the wall, so Ron couldn't tell whether he was asleep or not.  Considering the late hour, it was probably the former.

        "Harry," he said, and shook his shoulder to try and wake him.  He didn't care that his best friend was asleep.  At least he had gotten to sleep.  He had been up for hours.

        "Ron, go away," Harry mumbled.

        "Damnit, Harry, this is important,"

        "What is so important that you had to come barging in here in the middle of the night?" Harry asked, rolling over to face him.

        "It's Hermione,"

        He heard Harry sigh.  "Ron, it didn't work the first time when you two tried to do this wedding thing together – "

        "I still love her,"

        _Oh boy_.  Harry grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and put them on.  When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he was able to see how on edge Ron was standing over him.

        "What happened with you two today?"  Harry asked carefully, sitting up.

        "It's my fault.  I was to damned impatient at that dress shop, and I thought it would speed things up so I begged Hermione to try on one of the dresses to make Gillian happy,"

        "And?"

        "_And_ that's when my problem started.  I told her she looked all right, but Harry, you should have seen her.  She looked amazing.  I've seen her in a lot of nice things over the years, but none of them come close to how beautiful she looked in that dress.  I couldn't tear my eyes away from her,"

        He was waiting for some sort of advice from his friend, but all he got was an 'I told you so' look from him.

        "Ron, you knew this would happen,"

        Ron nearly exploded.  "How can you say that?  How the hell was I supposed to know this would happen?"

        "You never stopped to consider that spending all this time with Hermione might stir up some old feelings?"

        "Well… maybe," he admitted.

        "Then did you ever consider that maybe it's not love your feeling?  Six years is a long time, Ron,"

        "Jesus, Harry, you're not helping," Ron exclaimed.  "You're supposed to tell me what I should do, not have me doubt whether or not what I feel is real,"

        "Has Hermione said anything to you?"

        Ron shook his head.  "No, but that doesn't mean anything.  Maybe she thinks I don't feel the same way.

        Harry nearly laughed.  "Are you listening to yourself?  You're going on about whether Hermione still loves you, when you're getting married in a week,"

        "Well, maybe it took me this long to realize a few things," he said to Harry.

        "Are you sure about this, Ron?  Because maybe you just have cold feet – "

        "I don't have cold feet.  And no, I'm not sure about Hermione.  I'm not sure about the wedding."  He raked his fingers through his ginger hair.  "I'm not sure about anything anymore,"

        "You have to talk to her," Harry told him.

        "Is that what you did with Ginny?"

        Harry shifted uncomfortably on the bed.  "I'd rather not talk about that,"

        "I just told you I'm still in love with my ex-girlfriend when I'm getting married in a week to someone that's not her, and you won't even tell me how you and Ginny got to be on speaking terms again?"  Ron shook his head incredulously.

        "She came to me,"

        "And what happened?"  Ron pressed him.

        "She thinks I should get a life,"

        "What?"

        "She thinks it's time I stopped trying to do what everyone expects of me and do what I want for once in my life.  I've had some time to think about it and I think she's right,"

        "Ok, Harry, you've lost me.  You and my sister haven't spoken for how long?  And now she's giving you advice on how to live your life, and you're _listening _to her?"

        "Think about it, Ron.  Ever since I found out who I really was, I've spent each day of my life trying to live up to everyone's expectations of what I should be.  When do I finally get to be just Harry Potter?  Not 'The Boy Who Lived', or the 'Famous Harry Potter', just Harry,"

        "Harry, people are always going to see you as those things.  No matter how hard you try to be just an ordinary guy,"

        "I'm quitting the ministry," he said quietly.

        "WHAT?!  Are you mad?  Harry, you're the best auror there is.  Just because you want a life outside that doesn't mean you have give that up,"

        "That's exactly what I have to do, Ron.  I can't figure out who I am if I'm still an auror,"

        "I'm going to kill, Ginny,"

        "Ron,"

        "I'm serious, Harry.  You wouldn't have even thought of this if it weren't for her.  Trust me, you're so used to all the action and being in the thick of things that you'll go stir crazy by sitting around doing nothing.  Harry, being a hero is what you do.  We wouldn't be sitting here today, having this conversation, if you weren't the way you were.  You have no idea how many people admire you,"

        "Well, I'm sick of it.  I'm not joking, Ron.  I'm tired of being the one everybody depends on every time there's trouble.  When do I get a break?  When do I get to say 'I've saved the world for the last time and that's it'?"

        "I still say you're crazy, but if 'getting a life' as my sister put it, is what you want to do, then I hope it's what you expect,"

        Neither one of them said much after that.  They were too absorbed in their own dilemmas, and sleep was definitely the farthest thing on both of their minds.

I hope it was worth the wait!  Hopefully, by then end of next weekend I'll have a working computer that doesn't freeze every five minutes.

        __


	9. The Inevitable

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!  I've enjoyed reading them all.

Even with my computer (which is still driving me crazy!) I managed to get this chapter finished.  Read and enjoy!

CHAPTER NINE:  THE INEVITABLE

        Ron was already in a foul mood when he walked into The Burrow that morning and it only got worse when he spotted his sister in the kitchen talking to a couple of her friends.  Without so much as a hello, he grabbed her arm and dragged her out into the hallway, ignoring the looks her friends were giving him.

        "Ron, what is your problem?"  She all but screamed at him.  "You can't just walk in here and pull me away from my friends anytime you bloody well please,"

        "Watch your language," he growled, releasing her.  "I wouldn't have had to do that if you had just minded your own damn business.  I've got enough going on right now with the wedding, and now Harry's going through some early-life crisis,"

        "What are you on about?"

        "He's gotten it in his head that he doesn't need to be a hero anymore, thanks to you,"

        "Ron, all I did was give him some advice," Ginny said in her defense.

        "You had no right to say anything to him.  He's quitting the ministry, did you know that?"

        Ginny's eyes lit up.  "Really?"

        "Yes, _really_.  And I don't know why you're so happy about it.  He's giving up everything because of what you said to him,"

        "No, he's not," she said, shaking her head.  "He's getting everything he never had because he was always too busy saving the world.  I would have thought that as his best friend you would be happy for him,"

        "Maybe I would be if this was something he'd wanted all along.  I didn't even know what he was planning until last night,"

        "That's because you're just like everyone else, Ron," she accused.  "You expect Harry to be the world's savior, because that's how you've always seen him.  Harry's life was decided for him when he was a baby. He never had a normal childhood.  I don't think he even knew what it was like to be a teenager because there was always You-Know-Who or some other danger lurking nearby.  He's done what everyone's asked of him a million times over.  It's time he was allowed to break away from it, and just be Harry,"

        "You think I don't want my best friend to be happy?"  Ron fumed.  "But changing who he is isn't going to make him happy, Gin,"

        "I think you'd be surprised,"

        "I think you better stay out of it and leave Harry the hell alone,"

        "Ron – "

        "I mean it, Gin.  You had no right to interfere.  Where do you get off telling Harry how to live his life when you haven't even been a part of it for three years?  You may think you're doing him a favour, but all you're going to end up doing is making him miserable,"

        He left after that.  He would have thought he'd have felt better after putting his sister in her place, but he didn't.  It may have had something to do with anxiety he was feeling towards the wedding rehearsal that night.

        If he thought he was nervous that morning, he was a wreck by the time it came for him to go down to the hall where the wedding rehearsal would be held.  

        He could barely even make eye contact with Hermione, or start up a conversation with her.  She seemed to pick up on this and kept her distance from him.  That was fine with Ron.  He was starting to think that what Harry said was true, and as long as he stayed away from Hermione, he would realize that Gillian was the one he wanted to be with.

        The wizard, who had designated himself the 'choreographer' for the wedding, had shown those involved in the wedding party at what point they should walk in, and where they should stand throughout the ceremony.  It was all going quite well until Gillian's cell phone rang.

        For all her prejudices against muggles, she carried one of their most valued inventions around with her at all times.  Her excuse being it allowed _The Prophet_ to get in touch with her much easier this way, especially if they needed her immediately.

        She looked apologetically at Ron.  "I told them not to call me, so it must be urgent,"

        She walked away from the crowd of people to talk to the person at the other end.  When she came back, she looked as panicked as Ron felt.

        "I have to go," she told him.  "The person who was supposed to work the late shift tonight, called in sick, and now there's no one to edit the articles before they get published at midnight tonight," 

        "There must be someone there who can do it,"

        Ron found it hard to believe that at a paper like the _Daily Prophet_, Gillian was the only qualified person who could correct some grammar and spelling errors and publish a paper.

        "I'm sorry, Ron, but there's no one there qualified enough to do it.  Anyone else who could is on vacation right now.  I'll make it up to you, I promise,"

        She hurried out of the hall, but not before apologizing to everyone that she needed to go back to work, because there was a crisis in progress there.  And so Ron was left alone standing at the pretend altar that had been created.

        "Is that it?"  Harry asked, from his best man spot beside him.

        "I guess," Ron answered.  He was more than a little angry that she couldn't have waited ten more minutes before heading back to work.  "The only part that's left involves the bride and groom, so there's really no point in continuing without a bride,"

        "You've got a pretty good bride right here," Ginny said, coming over to them and bringing Hermione with her.

        Harry and Ron just stared at her.

        "Hermione could take Gillian's spot."  She said it as if it were the most obvious answer.

        "That's not a good idea," Hermione and Ron said simultaneously.

        "Considering Hermione's the only one here who's not directly related to you, I'd say it's the only idea.  Unless you want the money mom and dad put into renting this place go to nothing,"

        Ron knew what Ginny was playing at.  She was trying to get him back for that morning.  All he could do was glare at her, because his parents came over, having overheard his sister's suggestion, and neither he nor Hermione had the heart to tell him they didn't want to do it.

        Everyone took their places once more, the only difference being Hermione was standing with Ron at the front now.

        "I'm really sorry about this," he whispered to her, so only she would hear.

        "It's okay," she replied back.

        The minister who would be performing the ceremony took them through it step by step, until they reached the part where the minister said, "you may kiss the bride,"

        _There.  That wasn't so bad_, Hermione thought to herself.  She looked up at Ron, expecting to see the same relief on his face, but all she saw were a pair of lips lowering down to meet her own.  She wasn't sure what made her do it – whether it was because it was so unexpected or because she had waited a lifetime for this moment – but she let him kiss her.  It was wonderful.  It was hard to believe she had almost forgotten what a good kisser he was.  When he pulled back, she was almost disappointed.  That was until the full realization of what had happened struck her.

        Ron tried speaking to her, but she didn't see to hear him.

        She needed to get out of there.

And as Ron's family started to swarm around him, she took the opportunity to exit.  She ran out of the building and never looked back.

        When Ron had finally managed to break away from the people surrounding him, Hermione was long gone.  He found a man walking on the street, and after giving him a fairly detailed description of Hermione, had figured out which way she had gone and started running again.

        For someone in heels, she sure had gained a considerable amount of distance in that short span of time.  It was fortunate for him that she hadn't just apparated out of sight.

        When he finally caught sight of her and called out her name, she didn't stop.  Seeing as he had the advantage of better footwear then her, it didn't take him long to catch up with her.

        "Hermione, stop running, please,"

        He had to grab her arm to get her to stop and look at him.

        "Do you know how hard a time I had catching up to you?"

        "This isn't a joke, Ron," she replied angrily and pulled her arm out of his grasp.

        "No, it's not.  So why don't you tell me why you ran out on me back there?"

        "You already know why," she said, and started walking again.

        "No, I don't," he said, matching her pace to keep up with her.  "Half the time I don't even know why you do the things you do,"

        She stopped walking and looked at him.  "That makes two of us,"

        "Why don't you make this a lot easier for the both of us and admit you ran out here because I kissed you,"

        "That's exactly why.  Because it was completely inappropriate and – "

        "You liked it,"

        Her response took several seconds too long.  "I did not,"

        "You don't kiss somebody back like that unless you like it," he said to her.  "You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can't lie to me.  I've known you too long, Hermione.  You're so smart, but you have this habit of missing what's right in front of your face,"

        "If you chased me down so you could insult me, I'd rather we did it another time when I felt like insulting you back,"

        She started walking away again.

        "I'm still in love with you,"

        He wasn't sure he had spoken the words aloud until he saw her stop dead in her tracks. 

        "You expect me to believe that?" She questioned him.

        That was the last response he had been expecting.

        "You're getting married Ron.  In less than a week.  You were engaged for months before that, and now you're standing here telling me you love me?  How am I supposed to believe that?"

        "Because it's the truth."  That was all he could think of to say.  "You asked me a while back, why I had left so many things to the last minute.  I didn't know then, but now I know it was because a part of me was still hoping that you would give me a second chance.  Not a day has gone by where I haven't hated myself for what I did to you.  I was seventeen and young and stupid, and I didn't realize the best thing that had ever happened to me was falling in love with my best friend.  I took you for granted and I've paid for that every day since,"

        "Ron, that was a long time ago," she said softly.  "People move on,"

        "Have you?"

        "Yes,"

        She was lying.  "Then when was the last time you had a serious relationship?  Or even a boyfriend?"

        The softness in her voice was gone now, replaced by a thick iciness.  "My private life is none of your business,"

        He was fed up.  "I'm sick of this game, Hermione.  We wasted five years at Hogwarts because we were too scared to take the next step.  We've wasted even more time since then.  I've told you how I feel, now it's up to you.  If you tell me you're over me, I'll believe you and this will never happen again,"

        She was ready to tell him then that the two of them together would never happen again.  As much as she wanted to tell him she had moved on with her life, an even bigger part of her wanted to tell him the truth.

        "I love you, Ron,"

        Even though he had known that would be her answer, it was quite a shock to hear her admit it.  It was all he could do to restrain himself from scooping her up in his arms like he had wanted to do that day in the dress shop.  His joy was short lived, though.

        "Does that really change anything?"  She asked him.  "You're practically married, Ron.  You wouldn't have gone this far with the wedding if you didn't feel something for Gillian.  I can't ask you to just forget her, because I know you wouldn't ask that of me if our situations were reversed,"

        Why did she always have to be so damn logical?  "What am I supposed to do?"  He asked her.

        "I don't know,"

        It was the first time in his life he had asked Hermione a question she didn't know the answer to.

        "I should go," she said quietly.

        He wanted to stop her.  But when he opened his mouth to speak he had no idea what to say.  He couldn't just watch her leave either.  He apparated long before she was out of his line of vision.

To Ron, it felt like Hogwarts all over again.  He'd had her and then lost her.


	10. The Choices We Make

A/N: I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone for all the wonderful reviews. Sorry it took so long, but chapter ten has finally arrived, and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

CHAPTER TEN: THE CHOICES WE MAKE

__

"I don't know why I let you talk me into this," Hermione complained.

"Hey, I didn't talk you into anything. Remember, you were the one who said you wanted to break the rules and come out and have some fun with us," Ron was quick to remind her.

"He has a point there, Hermione," Ginny spoke up.

Harry smirked at Ron. "I think that's the first argument you've ever one against her,"

Ron shot him a look. "Shut up, Harry," he said, punching him in the arm as they came across the source of their destination.

A bunch of seventh year Ravenclaws had managed to procure a house in Hogsmeade for the weekend and were throwing a party there that night. Everyone was invited of course, apart from for the Slytherins, but it's not as if they would have showed up anyways – except, perhaps to cause trouble.

It was much more difficult for them to sneak out then it had been in their earlier years at Hogwarts. They had each grown quite a bit, especially Ron and Harry, making it almost impossible to fit even two people under Harry's invisibility cloak. But thanks to the marauder's map Harry had inherited, it had allowed them to reach the passageway blocked by the humpbacked witch unnoticed. They entered the open tunnel and followed it until they came out at the cellar in the Honeydukes shop in Hogsmeade.

When they reached the property, the music that had been a dull noise before was much louder now.

Ron indicated for Harry and Ginny to go inside. "We'll meet up with you in there,"

"Ron, what is it?" Hermione asked, watching their friends disappear inside.

His face was serious when he spoke. "You don't have to go in there, if you don't want to. I didn't even think you would say yes when I asked you to come with me. But we can go back to Hogwarts right now if you don't feel right about this,"

She considered his offer for several moments before giving him her answer. "The only times I've broken the rules was to help you or Harry. I think I've earned this,"

Ron was grinning at her. "I always knew you head girl types were rule breakers at heart," he said, holding the door open for her.

If she thought it was noisy outside, it was nothing compared to inside the house – it was absolutely deafening. There were crowds of people all over the place, and some she didn't even think went to Hogwarts because she had never seen them before.

"I'm going to find Harry, I'll be right back,"

He had to shout in her ear for her to hear him, and she simply nodded her head to show she'd heard him, not feeling like screaming to give him her response.

When Ron had left, she wished she had gone with him. This was completely unfamiliar territory for her and it only made it worse that she didn't recognize anyone.

She felt awkward and stupid standing there by herself, leading her to the decision to see if she could find anyone she might know from school. She rounded a corner, stopping just in time to keep herself from knocking Lavender Brown over. Surrounding her, were her usual Gryffindor followers.

Of all the people here, why does she have to be the one person I know, _Hermione wondered to herself. Even now she wasn't sure how she had managed to survive living with Lavender for four years. Thankfully, she had become a prefect and then Head Girl after that, allowing her the freedom of having her own room._

"Well, hello, Hermione," Lavender slurred.

She's drunk already? Hermione wasn't sure why she should be surprised after some of the stories she had heard about her.

"I'm a little surprised to see you here," she remarked. "I would have thought you'd rather have your nose stuck up a book then have some fun,"

"Sorry to disappoint you," Hermione said coolly.

Lavender shot her a nasty look. "What happened, did your friends ditch you?"

Hermione clenched her jaw to refrain from saying what was really on her mind. "They're around here. We just got separated,"

Even that sounded lame to her ears, so it was no real surprise when Lavender and a few of the other girls with her sniggered.

"I couldn't imagine why they'd want to get separated from you, with you being the life of the party and all," she said sarcastically. Then she shook her head. "I still don't get what he sees in boring, little old you. He could do much better,"

She was refering to Ron and Hermione felt extremely self-conscious at that moment. She knew Lavender was just trying to upset her, but her looks had always been an issue of self-doubt with her.

"I don't even think Ron knows," she said, turning to her friends. "If he did, he wouldn't have come to me,"

Hermione did a sharp intake of breath. "You're delusional,"

Why was she was letting Lavender get the best of her? She was drunk out of her mind and didn't know what she was talking about.

"You don't believe me? Do you really think Ron was going to sit around waiting for you to be ready, when he could have me? Honestly, I never realized how naïve you were until now,"

She was laughing at her now, and it was all Hermione could do to restrain herself from strangling the other Gryffindor. That moment of anger soon passed, only to be replaced by the overwhelming sense of dread that Lavender was indeed telling the truth. She kept telling herself that Ron would never do that to her, but then she remembered how strange Ron had acted for weeks for no apparent reason. The way he had avoided looking at her in the eye for days, and sometimes not even wanting to touch her or hold her hand.

Lavender was watching her and smiling as she saw Hermione carefully piece everything together. Lavender was waiting for her to break down, but she refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

With as much dignity as she could muster, she pushed passed everyone, not even bothering to stop and apologize to Neville when she knocked his drink on himself.

"Harry!" 

Harry turned to see Neville Longbottom rushing up the stairs to get to him.

"Hey, Neville, what's up?"

"Hermione," he began breathlessly. "She just ran out of here. I think she was crying,"

Harry's good mood disappeared instantly. Ron was a few feet away from him, deep in conversation with Dean Thomas about the upcoming professional Quidditch season.

Harry pulled him aside. "Neville said Hermione ran out of here crying,"

Ron's face went white. "When?"

"Just now,"

Ron tried to keep himself from panicking, but was not very successful. He didn't know what was going on. All he knew was he needed to find her and find out what was wrong.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Harry asked him.

"No, I'll find her,"

He knew Harry just wanted to help, but Hermione was his girlfriend and that's why he needed to go after her alone.

When he reached outside, he looked around the swarms of people crowding around on the front property to see if he could find her, but she wasn't there. He needed to calm down and think where would she go. It was several long moments before his thoughts cleared enough to come to the conclusion that she would most likely go back to Hogwarts.

He took off at a run back the way they had come. It wasn't until he had passed the last of the cottages and started passing the shops in Hogsmeade that he saw her lone figure walking through the deserted streets.

"Hermione!"

Either she didn't hear him or she was ignoring him altogether, he didn't know, but it only made him run faster to catch up to her.

When he got close enough to her he shouted, "Hermione, please wait!"

She still wouldn't acknowledge him, and the only thing he could do to keep her from continuing to walk away was to grab her arm, forcing her to look at him. She had obviously been crying. Her face was tear streaked and her eyes were red and puffy.

All it took was that one look at her face for Ron to know that she knew everything.

She broke free of his grasp and backed away from him.

"Is it true?"

How was he supposed to answer that without wrecking everything they had worked towards?

"Is it true?" She asked again, her voice shaking even more this time. "Ron, tell me," she begged. "If you tell me Lavender's a liar I'll believe you." She sounded almost hysterical when she spoke. 

There was no hiding what he had done any longer. He couldn't lie to her anymore, even though a part of him wanted to so they could just go back to Hogwarts and forget this conversation ever happened.

"It was one time," he said in a low voice. Shame filled him, and he couldn't bring himself to look at her when he said it.

When he did look up, she was shaking her head and tears started falling down her cheeks again. When she looked at him, it wasn't disappointment or hatred that he saw in her eyes, it was disgust.

"Hermione, let me explain," he said urgently.

He tried reaching out to her but she pushed him away. "Explain what, Ron?" She shouted at him through her tears. "That you slept with Lavender just one time and that makes it okay? I trusted you!"

She was shaking all over now, and there was nothing he could do because she wouldn't let him come anywhere near her. "I'm sorry,"

She wasn't listening to him. "When did it happen? It was before Christmas wasn't it? Before we – " She broke off. "Ron, answer me!"

"It was before Christmas," he confirmed.

If it was possible for Hermione to get anymore upset, it happened at that moment. "You've been lying for months! Here I was thinking we spent our first time together, but you had already slept with someone. I'm so stupid. All the signs were right there in front of my face. You were acting so different, but I couldn't figure it out." She ran her fingers through her hair. "How could I be so stupid?"

"Mione – "

"Don't, Ron. Just don't. There's nothing you can say that can fix this,"

"I made a mistake,"

"You had sex with Lavender!"

She needed to get away from him, but he tried to stop her.

"Don't touch me, Ron!" She screamed. "Stay away from me,"

She took off, and there was nothing he could do except watch her run away.

It was still early when Ron found himself outside the door to Hermione's apartment. So early in fact that he was hoping he would catch her before she left for work.

After several knocks on her door, his theory was confirmed.

She was dressed in her work robes, but she looked like she had about as much sleep as he had – which was none. He had spent the night just walking. He had needed to be alone with his thoughts. If he had gone back to his flat Harry would have been there, and there would have been no chance in hell of being left alone if he had gone to The Burrow.

She looked at him uncertainly as she held the door open.

"Can I come in?" It sounded like a plea.

She didn't nod or anything, she simply moved out of the doorway allowing him to step inside.

It had been a long time since he had been in there, though it was a lot smaller then he remembered. But knowing Hermione, she probably spent more time at the ministry then at home and wouldn't even notice the size.

"It's a lot smaller then I remembered," he commented looking around.

She didn't say anything, which meant he had to make the next move.

"I know you probably need some time to think about everything," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "but I've been up all night thinking and I didn't know what else to do except come here,"

She stared at him hard before saying, "I didn't think I'd ever have to go down this road with you again," 

"You don't have to if you don't want to,"

"After last night I don't think either one of us has much of a choice,"

"You always have a choice, Mione,"

That sounded exactly like something she would say, but it sounded odd coming from Ron.

"I didn't come here to pressure you or anything," he said to her. "I just need to know if you meant what you said last night,"

She shook her head. He was a piece of work. "You want me to confirm that I still love you, is that what this visit is about?"

"Maybe I just need to hear you say it because I distinctly remember you saying six years ago that you would never trust me the same way again,"

"I do trust you Ron," she said, "just not with my heart,"

"You _can_ trust me," he insisted, grabbing both her hands. "I've done a lot of growing up over the years. I know it may not show, but I have. I would never put you through all that pain again. I would die first. If I could change the past, I would, but I can't. Neither of us can. I'm not asking you to forget what I did, I'm just asking you to forgive me. Because if you can't do that, then there's really no point in my being here," 

"I forgave you a long time ago," she said softly. "I was just too afraid to let you back in because I always had this fear that you would break my heart again,"

He should have felt immensely relieved at her words, but finding out she had forgiven him was only half the battle. He couldn't get his hopes up too soon. "What do you want?"

"Ron, I don't know,"

"Yes, you do. Just forget for a minute that I'm getting married and tell me what you want,"

He was waiting for her to deny again that she didn't know what she wanted. When she did speak, her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I want you,"

He had been restraining himself from kissing her since the moment he had walked in there, but after hearing her utter those words it was all he could do to keep himself from picking her up and swinging her around in his arms. He settled for cupping her face with his hands and kissing her in very much the same way he had the other night at the wedding rehearsal. It started off soft, with Ron gently moving his mouth against hers, but quickly turned into the fire and passion they had both been so accustomed to at one time in their lives. 

It was mutual when they ended up, each looking at the other looking quite breathless.

Letting her forehead rest against his, Hermione said softly, "you can't just call off your wedding, Ron,"

He repressed a groan. Only Hermione would tell him one thing and then do a complete one-eighty. "Why not?"

"Because what if Harry's right?"

Not this again. "Harry's not right,"

"What if he is and the only reason this is happening is because we're both to scared to let go of the past and move on. Ron, you can't just give up Gillian and everything you've worked towards without at least thinking about it,"

Why did she always have to be right?

"My dad got me a posting at the ministry," he said suddenly.

"What?" That was completely unexpected. "Why?"

"Because I need a real job, that's why,"

"Ron, you hate it there. I know everyone's been on your case lately, but don't work there just to make everyone else happy,"

"You should probably go to work," he said, letting her go. "I don't want to make you late,"

He kissed her cheek before turning to go, but she caught his hand.

"Ron, just think about it. Think about everything before you make a choice," 

He left then, realizing the choices he had to make were no easier then before he had arrived there.

__

There was a soft knocking coming from the other side of her door, but she refused to answer it. She didn't want to see him right now, couldn't he get that through his head?

"Hermione, it's Harry, will you open the door?"

It wasn't Ron, but that didn't mean she wanted to see anyone else. Not even Harry.

"Hermione?"

No answer.

"I coming in, okay?"

She heard the unlocking of her door and then the sound of someone walking in.

She stayed where she was, curled up on her bed, facing the opposite direction with her face buried in her pillow. She didn't even acknowledge his presence when he sat down on the bed beside her.

He didn't try to get her to speak, he just sat there, listening to her cry.

"Harry, please go away," she said when it become evident ignoring him wasn't going to make him go away.

"I just wanted to know you were okay. I can't find Ron anywhere,"

Just saying his name, caused her to start crying all over again. Harry placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and she didn't fight it anymore. She sat up and buried her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably, while he sat holding her.

"Hermione, what happened?" He said softly.

She let loose everything that had happened at the party and afterwards. She rambled on about having loved Ron and having trusted him, and Harry sat listening to it all, never interrupting, until she finally exhausted herself out and fell off to sleep.

She woke up feeling terrible. Briefly, she had hoped she had dreamt it all, that it was all a horrible nightmare – but reality came crashing down when she spotted Harry sitting in an armchair beside her bed. She must have looked a wreck, but he smiled at her nevertheless.

"Thanks for staying," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her eye.

"Hermione, you don't have to thank me," he said. "This might be a stupid question, but how do you feel,"

She swallowed. "Empty,"

"I know you've been through a lot, but if we don't leave soon we're going to miss McGonagall's class,"

She had completely forgotten about classes. "I don't think I can go,"

"It will help get your mind off things,"

Using school as an excuse would only work on her.

"I can't. Everyone's going to be there. He'll be there,"

It was as if his name was a curse that she couldn't speak aloud.

"And I'll be there with you. It will be fine, trust me," he said, reaching out to give her hand a gentle squeeze.

She did trust him, even though she wasn't quite sure she believed him. She ended up giving in and letting him take her to class.

When they reached their transfiguration classroom, she hesitated before going inside. Harry waited until she was ready before opening the door and they walked in.

They weren't late, but it seemed like they were the last to arrive in the class and all eyes were focused on them. Even without looking around, she knew he was there. It took a gentle nudging from Harry for her to take one of the empty seats at the front of the class.

Transfiguration had never seemed to take so long to finish, and if someone had asked her what the lesson had been about she wouldn't have been able to tell them anything. 

For the first time in her life, Hermione was one of the very first students to file out of the room when class was over. But even then that had not been quick enough.

"Hermione!"

She kept walking, with Harry right behind her.

She could hear the huuried footsteps getting closer.

"Hermione, please, we have to talk,"

Harry spun around to face him. "Sod off, Ron, she doesn't have anything to say to you,"

"What are you, her bodyguard? This is between me and her so get out of the way,"

"Come on, Hermione, let's go," Harry said, guiding her away from Ron.

"It hasn't even been a full day and you're all over her, Harry,"

"You being the expect on being all over people, right?"

Ron threw the first punch. His fist connected with Harry's jaw and sent him staggering back against the nearest wall.

"Harry, don't!" Hermione pleaded, grabbing his arm.

He shook her off and came back with a swing of his right arm, ramming Ron right on the bridge of his nose. The amount of blood gushing out of his nose only served to fuel Ron's anger. He lunged at Harry, tackling him to the ground and pinning him there…


	11. Almost Perfect

A/N: Sorry to leave you all hanging at the end of the last chapter, but I tried my best to get this one up as fast as I could. Enjoy! 

CHAPTER ELEVEN: ALMOST PERFECT

"That was a pretty good performance you put up Harry, considering you haven't played in nearly a year," Ron complimented, slapping him on the back.

"Quidditch isn't something you just forget,"

The two were discussing the friendly pickup game that had just taken place. Ron held the position of Keeper on the local Quidditch team. It wasn't professional or anything but they did play in a league, and Ron had invited Harry to join him for the team's first practice of the season. When Harry had arrived no one had a problem with him joining in. Everyone seemed to know about his days of Quidditch at Hogwarts, and how he had the chance to turn professional but had chosen to work as an Auror instead. 

And as luck had turned out for Harry there was only one seeker on the team at the moment, which had left him free to take up his old position when they had scrimmaged.

"You could have been a bit faster, though," Ron added in a joking tone. "You nearly let the other team's seeker beat you. I think you've lost your touch,"

"There were a few saves _you_ should have made," Harry pointed out to his friend.

Ron looked at him in mock indignation. "Hey, I did – "

When he stopped in mid sentence, Harry followed his gaze to see what had caused it. It was Ginny, standing by the change room doors, waiting for them. It probably would have been more accurate to say she was waiting for Harry.

"What are you doing here?" Ron growled when they reached her. His seemingly good mood had vanished.

Ginny bit her lip, clearly trying to decide whether she wanted her brother to know the reasons for her being there. "I came to watch your practice," she said simply.

Ron looked like he didn't believe her, but said, "well, it's over now so you can head on home,"

She held her ground. "I need to talk to Harry,"

"No, you don't. You've already said too much. So why don't you – "

"Ron, I'll see you back at the flat," Harry cut in gently.

Ron looked ready to argue some more, but soon realized it would be a futile attempt, seeing the intense look his friend was giving Ginny. He threw his hands up in defeat and stalked into the change room.

"It's nice to see my brother's temper hasn't diminished over the years," Ginny commented when he was gone.

"He thinks you're interfering with my life,"

"Am I?" She knew she would get an honest answer from him.

Harry gave a small shrug. "You just gave me some perspective, is all,"

"Is it true you're quitting the ministry?" She hoped she didn't sound too happy.

"Already have. I handed in my resignation this morning,"

It was one thing to hear from Ron that he was thinking of quitting, but to hear Harry say the actual words was something altogether different. Sometimes his devotion to the ministry rivaled even Hermione's.

"You look surprised," he said, seeing her expression.

"I didn't expect you to actually listen to me,"

Harry chuckled. "You can be pretty persuasive when you want to be, Gin." Then in a more serious tone he continued by saying, "there was a lot of truth in what you said to me. You were right I don't even really know who Harry Potter is outside the life of an Auror,"

"Well, he's a good person. Slightly overprotective and rather annoying at times, but you get used to it," she said, not bothering to hide her smile.

His eyes were fixed on hers when he spoke next. "I was sort of hoping you would help me find out who he is,"

She caught the meaning behind those words, but tried to act as if she hadn't. "Harry, I'm your friend, of course I will,"

His gaze never left hers. "That's not what I meant, Ginny, and you know it,"

This was exactly the sort of thing Ron had warned her about. Damn him. "You know I would do anything for you, Harry," she said, reaching out to touch his arm in a reassuring way, "but I'm with Colin,"

"You don't have to be,"

She was surprised to find herself saying, "I want to,"

She could feel his frustration as he pulled his arm free from her touch. "Ginny, I did what you asked. I'm done being an Auror. I'm out of the ministry completely. What more do you want from me?"

"I never asked you to do those things for me. I wanted you to do them for yourself. Harry, you deserve so much more, but you were never going to find it being at the beck and call of every ministry member twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week,"

He had never felt more stupid in his life then he did at that moment. What an idiot he had been. How could he have completely misinterpreted her intentions like that?

"Harry, I'm sorry. I never meant to give you the wrong impression about us,"

"No, it's my fault. Why should I think a couple of civil conversations would change anything between us?"

"Things did change," she insisted. "We're friends now,"

"If Hermione hadn't told you what had happened in Romania, would you even be standing here, talking to me?

She could have answered that easily. It would have been 'no', and that's why she couldn't bring herself to say it. Harry seemed to have come to the same conclusion for he was already walking by her, heading for the change room doors.

"Harry!" She didn't want to leave things like this.

Turning around to look at her, he said, "I think I liked things better when we weren't talking," before opening the door and walking inside.

__

"Don't touch it, Gin," Harry grimaced.

"Sorry," she apologized, removing her hand from his face. "Why didn't Madame Pomfrey just heal you?"

"She's hoping this way we learn a lesson from it," he said, gingerly reaching a hand up to examine his bruised jaw.

Hermione was standing away from them, biting her lower lip. "You shouldn't have fought him," she said when she couldn't remain silent any longer.

"He hit me first,"

"You could have walked away,"

Harry stared at her in disbelief. "He deserved what he got. Why are you defending him after what he did to you?"

"I'm not,"

They heard the curtain behind them pull aside and Ron stepped out. He looked about as bad as Harry. Madam Pomfrey had fixed his nose but he had a split lip and the beginnings of a black eye forming under his right eye.

Harry took one look at him before standing up and putting a protective arm around Hermione, trying to lead her out of the room. She didn't resist until she heard Ron calling to her.

"Hermione, please, wait," he pleaded.

"Come on," Harry urged her.

She wouldn't move. It took her some time to decide before she finally said, "Harry, it's okay. I'll see you back at the Tower,"

Harry did leave – eventually – but only because Ginny was there to see to it.

"I'm glad we don't go beating each other up every day," Ron said, rubbing his newly healed nose.

His tone was light, as if they were having any ordinary conversation.

"Does it hurt?" She asked him.

"A little," he admitted, nodding his head.

"Good. Then maybe you can feel a fraction of the pain I'm feeling,"

He flinched because he knew he had deserved that. "Hermione, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I never wanted this to happen,"

"You mean you never wanted me to find out," she corrected him.

He vigorously shook his head. "That's not it,"

She felt her anger returning full force. "Yes it is. I don't know why I didn't figure it out for myself – the way you were acting. Maybe I did know, I just didn't want to see it,"

"Mione – "

"Don't call me that ever again. You've lost that right,"

"I don't want to lose you," he said in a hoarse voice. 

He looked close to crying and that's what started the tears flowing down her cheeks.

"You already have," she choked out.

Several tears were trickling down his face now. She had never seen him cry before, and that's why it took her a moment to recover in order to push his hand away when he placed it on her cheek.

She fled the hospital wing at that moment, knowing if she stayed there a second longer she would give in and forgive him, when she knew he didn't deserve her forgiveness.

She never looked back either. Even if she had, she doubted she would have seen much through her tears.

It took nearly a whole minute of knocking continuously before Hermione finally got a response from anyone inside. Harry answered, and to say he looked awful would have been a most severe understatement.

"Ron's not here," he told her in a deadpan voice.

She could smell the liquor on his breath when he spoke.

"Can I come in anyway?" He looked like he could use some company.

"Suit yourself," he said, spreading his arms, gesturing for her to come in.

Hermione closed the door behind her before following Harry over to the couch where he took a long swig from a bottle.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, settling down beside him.

"If you don't mind, Hermione, I don't feel much like explaining how much of an idiot I am,"

"Welcome to the club," she muttered, resting her chin on her hands.

He regarded her for a second before speaking. "I thought you and Ron had worked everything out,"

She sighed and sank back into the couch. "Ron doesn't know what he wants. He thinks he does, but he hasn't thought anything through,"

"That sounds like Ron," Harry said, taking another drink.

"Have you seen Ginny?"

"What makes you think I've been to see her?"

"It's just that I figure she's the only one who could make you drink like this,"

"Maybe this isn't about her," he said, though the tone of his voice suggested otherwise. "But I don't walk to about her or Colin. They can both go to hell,"

"I feel the same way about a certain other member of the Weasley family. Mind if I join you," she said, indicating to the half empty bottle in front of him.

Harry passed it to her with no protest whatsoever, showing Hermione how out of it he really was if he didn't care that she was drinking.

She took a large gulp from it and nearly choked. "God, that's awful," she said wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "What is it?"

"Whisky," Harry said, taking the bottle back from her.

"It's horrible,"

But that didn't stop her from taking another drink from it, and another… until she and Harry were laughing uncontrollably at things she had no clue as to what they were laughing at.

"I do believe you're a little drunk, Miss Granger," Harry said to her.

"I am not," she slurred.

To show him that she was perfectly capable of handling her liquor, she stood up – and the second she was standing she swayed on her feet and would have fallen over if Harry's hands hadn't caught her around the waist to steady her.

"A bit unsteady, are we?" He teased.

"Shut up, Harry. You're not much better,"

She gave him a little shove to prove her point. It worked; only she hadn't planned on him taking her down with him.

Soon they were laughing hysterically again, with her lying on top of Harry on the living room carpet. When they finally stopped, there was an awkward pause only to be broken when Harry leaned up and kissed her. She found herself kissing him back, pressing her body into his. She let Harry's hands roam her back until they found their way underneath her shirt. 

It did not take long to happen, but neither one would remember later on how they had somehow managed to stagger drunkenly into Harry's room and onto his bed.

It was after midnight when Ron showed up at Gillian's apartment. It was hard to put out of his mind what Hermione had said to him earlier that day. He knew he wanted to be with her, and that she wanted the same thing, but her whole little speech of him needing to figure out what Gillian meant to him was all he had been able to think about since their conversation.

He cared about Gillian a great deal, and he did love her. He wouldn't have proposed to her if he hadn't. But it wasn't the same love that he felt for Hermione – that he had always felt for her. 

He felt the little nagging doubt creep into the back of his mind again. What if he was scared to let go of Hermione? He wasn't really sure he believed that, but then again, he wasn't sure about much of anything anymore. But he would do what Hermione had asked. If their relationship was going to work this time, he owed her that.

Gillian answered the door, looking as if she had been sleeping. "Ron, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, but I needed to tell you something and it couldn't wait,"

She looked concerned. "What is it?"

"My dad got me a posting at the ministry,"

Her tired state disappeared immediately. "Really? Ron, that's wonderful!" She congratulated, throwing her arms around him. "This time I'm sure if you give it a chance, you'll like it there,"

"I might as well, right? I mean I can't play amateur Quidditch for the rest of my life, now can I?"

"Not if you want to be able to support a family. I think it's great that you've finally decided to settle down and do something with your life," she said, hugging him even tighter.

"I should probably get going," he said, pulling out of the embrace. "I'm sure you've got a busy day at the _Prophet_ tomorrow,"

"Goodnight, Ron,"

They kissed briefly before she went back in and closed the door.

He walked away from her apartment even more nervous then before because now he knew what he had to do. He had known all along, really. He had just needed to make sure that he wouldn't spend the rest of his life regretting the decision. 

He wasn't getting a job at the ministry. He hadn't even asked his father to find him one there. He had made it all up to see how Hermione and Gillian would react. And even though Hermione nagged him constantly about gaining a little responsibility and making something of himself, she had been against his taking a job there. She knew how unhappy he would be. She wanted him to find something he enjoyed, even if that something took a little longer to find.

He had tested both of them, though he doubted very much that either of them would appreciate it. He was sure to get an earful from Hermione, even when she had passed with flying colours whereas Gillian had failed miserably, just like he had thought she would. Ever since he had known her she seemed intent on making him find some direction in his life. Once they had gotten engaged, it seemed to become a never-ending mission for her. She had never tired of telling him of any openings that came up at the _Prophet_, even when he had never expressed any interest in writing.

He wanted to go to Hermione's now. It didn't matter that it was late. This was too important to wait. But he couldn't very well go over there and tell her what he had done. Knowing Hermione, she would be furious. Not only that, he wasn't sure what to say to her. It had been a long time since the two of them had been together. He wanted to start things off on the right foot with her. He wanted everything to be perfect this time.

He apparated back to his flat, hoping Harry would be around because he desperately needed some advice, not the least of which being how he was going to break the news to his family and to Gillian.

It was silent in his apartment. All the lights were on but no one was around, which meant Harry was probably still up, just in his room.

He headed down the hallway where the bedrooms were. Harry's door was open, but there was no light inside. He was lying in bed, sound asleep. He was somewhat disappointed that his friend wasn't still up and nearly passed by the doorway when someone rolled over in the bed beside Harry.

He felt something in his chest seize when he realized who that someone was.

Hermione.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, watching his two best friends sleeping naked in the same bed, but once the initial shock of it wore off and the reality of what he was seeing kicked in, he found himself hanging onto the wall as if for dear life. His legs no longer seemed capable of supporting himself. He knew he was in no state to apparate, but he didn't care and ended up doing it anywise, knowing if he stayed there a second longer he would be sick.

Sorry. I left you with another cliffie, but I couldn't help it!


	12. No More Lies

A/N: I know a lot of people are probably pretty upset and aghast about what happened in the last chapter. To all those people I have this to say: trust me. I know we all want a nice, happy romance, but from what I've learned a happy romance is a boring romance. There has to be some struggle along the way that eventually brings the characters together. That's what makes a romance interesting. 

With that out of the way, on with the chapter…

CHAPTER TWELVE: NO MORE LIES

__

She tried not to, but every time he walked by her or into a room, she could rarely stop herself from looking at him. If Harry noticed this, he had said nothing about it so far. Weeks had passed and he was still acting like Ron didn't exist. She wished she could have done the same thing herself, but just forgetting about the person you were – correction – had been in love with, was not something that could be accomplished over night.

She divided her time between trying not to think about Ron and worrying about Harry's deteriorating friendship with him. Harry would never say it out loud – he was just as stubborn as Ron in many ways – but the truth was she knew that he missed him. He would never admit it, though. It would violate some sort of code or something.

Ron was his best friend and she didn't want to take that away from him. The only reason Harry had stayed angry with him this long was because he was afraid she would feel betrayed if he did. Maybe she would, but she couldn't expect him to cut Ron out of his life because the two of them couldn't even look at each other. Harry was miserable, and no matter how hard he tried to hide it, he couldn't. Not from her, and most definitely not from Ginny. 

Hermione could not help but feel partially at fault for the way their relationship was suffering. But she also didn't know how she would have made it this far without Harry. She had always felt close to him, it was a different kind of closeness then she had shared with Ron, but it meant just as much to her – even more now with the way things were. Harry had always been the best friend anyone could have asked for. He was loyal beyond a doubt and had been there for her those first couple of rough nights where she had cried herself to sleep. Now it was her turn to return the favour even if he did not appreciate what she was trying to do.

They were sitting in the common room that night, Harry working on Divination homework, and she her Potions essay, when she attempted to broach the subject of Ron with him.

"Is that due tomorrow?" She asked him.

"Yeah, but I'm sure if I told Trewlany that I saw a vision of myself dying while I was working on it, she would completely understand why I didn't finish,"

Trying to sound nonchalant, she said, "why don't you ask someone and see what they put?"

Harry frowned, as if knowing exactly what she was implying. "I know what you're trying to do, Hermione,"

She played innocent. "And what would that be?"

"I'm not asking Ron for help," he said, his tone final. "I'm not that desperate, and even if I was, I'd ask Trewlany before I asked him for anything,"

"Harry, I never asked you to give up your friendship with Ron because of what happened between us,"

"You didn't have to,"

The intensity of his gaze and the unwavering sound in his voice almost frightened her. "He's your best friend, doesn't that mean anything? Are you really willing to throw away more than six years of friendship over something that has noting to do with you?"

"What happened does concern me," Harry said emphatically, "because the three of us were supposed to be friends, until Ron went and messed that up,"

She sighed. This was not going to be easy. "Would you at least think about it? You've been in a terrible mood for weeks over this." Reaching across the table, she laid her hand on top of his. "I appreciate everything that you've done for me, Harry, but I don't want to be the one responsible for destroying your friendship. Please talk to him,"

Then gathering her books off the table, she left the common room and retreated up to her dorm.

Hermione wondered how her years of being against drinking had managed to dissolve in a matter of minutes last night. Now that she understood firsthand what it felt like to have a hangover, she couldn't imagine why someone would want to drink as much as she had. 

Waking up to the feeling of a herd of hippogriffs stampeding on top of her head and the kind of nausea no one should have to live through were things she could have handled. But those factors combined with waking up next to her best friend had been too much. It took a few painful moments of recalling the previous night before Hermione was able to piece to together exactly what had happened.

The truth of what she and Harry had done was enough to make her want to stay under the covers and never show her face again. The situation was beyond any depths of awkwardness she had ever experienced before.

She wrapped herself in a sheet and turned her back while Harry got dressed. Then he left the room so she could do the same. Just the effort of getting dressed sent her running to the bathroom where she spent the next twenty minutes throwing up.

Harry was back to his old self by then, apologizing profusely and wanting to take full responsibility for what had happened – when it was as much her fault as it was his. 

Without a charm or spell to cure her hangover, she had used her very first sick day and called the ministry to let them know she would not be coming into the office. She would be of no use there if all she was going to do was throw up every twenty minutes.

She couldn't very well stay at the apartment, fearing what would happen if Ron came back. Harry helped her back to her place, neither one talking much along the way. She found she was having trouble looking at Harry, which had nothing to do with her present state.

When he had left, she had attempted to sleep off her hangover until the time came for her to head to the Weasley's. She had completely forgotten about having been invited to dinner there that night until Harry had muttered something about it when he had brought her home. She thought about calling and telling them she couldn't make it, but knew it wouldn't be fair to make Harry go alone when he probably felt as awful as she did.

She briefly entertained the idea of just apparating there, but knew she was in not in the proper condition to do it without the possibility of messing up. Driving seemed to be the safer alternative, though not by much.

She spent the drive worrying about how she was going to explain this to Ron. They weren't together _technically_, so she briefly entertained the idea of not telling him. But she knew that if he ever found out, sleeping with Harry would have been a million times worse than if she had slept with a complete stranger.

She wouldn't be able to tell him tonight that was sure. There would be too many people at The Burrow, and she needed to talk to Harry first before she did anything.

The more she thought about Ron's reaction, the sicker she felt. She was thankful she made it to the Weasley home without having to pull over once to throw up. She had not thrown up since lunchtime, thankfully.

Ginny was the one who answered the door with a look of deep concern plastered on her face.

"Hermione are you all right?"

"Just feeling a bit under the weather," 

And she wasn't lying either.

Ginny led her inside and of course, Harry had to be the first one she came across. He was sitting in a corner deep in conversation with the two eldest Weasley boys, Bill and Charlie. He nodded at her before quickly turning back to his conversation.

She didn't have to look far to find Ron. He was sitting at the other end of the living room, with Gillian in his lap. He was whispering things to her and she kept giggling.

"They've been like that since they got here," Ginny whispered to her in a low voice. "I'd like to know what's gotten into Ron,"

Hermione would have liked to know the same thing. The sight of them together like that after everything Ron had said to her, made her eyes start to water and the queasiness she had been feeling on and off all day return at full force. She quickly excused herself and all but ran to the bathroom. She did not come out until she had complete control over her emotions and was sure she wasn't going to be sick. 

It wouldn't do for her to cry in front of everyone, when no one, with the exception of Harry, knew what was going on.

Dinner did not go any better. Ron had not said one word to her since her arrival at The Burrow, and he looked to be avoiding Harry as well. Did he know? It would explain the way he was acting with Gillian. But why wouldn't he have said anything if he had? The answer was simple: because he was Ron and that was the way Ron worked. He would keep whatever was bothering him bottled inside, letting it eat away at him until he finally exploded.

There was one other possibility for his behaviour. One that she did not even what to think of but was forced to consider. Maybe he had decided to go through with the wedding after all, and didn't know how to tell her, so he thought he might just rub it in her face and hope she took the hint.

"How's the best man speech coming, Harry?" Charlie asked him.

"It's getting there," he answered. "It just needs some fine tuning," 

"Hermione dear, I wanted to think you for everything you've done," Mrs. Weasley said to her. "I don't think Ron would have made it this far without you,"

She looked at Ron who had his head lowered and was staring at his plate. "It was nothing, really," she said, trying to brush off the compliment she knew she didn't deserve.

"Ron, tell her how much of a big help she's been," Mrs. Weasley said to her son.

"Excuse me," he said quickly and left the dining room before anyone could ask why.

Hermione waited several moments before excusing herself as well, and set out after Ron.

She found him standing in the backyard with his back turned to her. If he had heard her coming up behind him he showed no sign of it.

"Ron, what's going on?"

"Go back inside,"

She knew that tone. He was struggling to keep his temper under control.

"I just want to know – "

"Hermione, just go back inside because I can't stand the sight of you right now,"

She didn't budge. More because she was stunned by his words then anything.

He turned around when he didn't hear her move, and where she thought he had been angry he looked more hurt than anything. "You have some nerve coming here, acting all innocent," he accused.

He knew. Somehow he had found out. "Ron, let me explain – "

"You slept with Harry!" He practically screamed. He didn't seem to care that everyone in the house might here them. "How could you do that? Was it some sort of payback?"

"No, that's not it at all. Harry and I had a lot to drink. I know that's no excuse – "

"Your damn right that's no excuse," he cut her off angrily. "Do you know what it was like for me to walk in and see you in bed with him?"

"Ron, it's not her fault,"

Harry had joined them outside and was standing protectively near Hermione.

"Stay out of this Potter," Ron roared at him. "It's not my fault my sister doesn't want you, but that doesn't give you the right to go and shag Hermione because you're lonely,"

"Ron, it was an accident," Harry insisted, trying to make him understand.

She was both shocked and relieved by Harry's self control. The last thing she wanted was for a fist fight to break out with Ron's family just inside.

"You know there were rumours about you two at Hogwarts after Hermione and I broke up," said Ron, not seeming to have heard Harry. "Now, I'm starting to wonder if they were true,"

What should have happened, was they both should have denied it and told him he was daft for even thinking it might be true. Instead Ron saw something flash in Harry's eyes that looked remotely like guilt and that sent him over the edge.

"The rumours were true, weren't they?" He shouted, waiting for an answer.

"Ron, calm down," said Harry.

"Calm down?" Ron rounded on him with his full-blown anger. "I'm not doing anything until someone tells me what the hell happened between you two,"

"It doesn't matter now, Ron," Harry tried to tell him.

"The hell it doesn't," Ron argued. He lunged past Hermione and grabbed Harry by the collar of his shirt. "You were my best mate. I trusted you to take care of her not take her to bed with you,"

"Ron, stop it," Hermione pleaded, stepping in between them. "Harry, didn't do anything,"

Ron had no intention of stopping. He still had a hold on Harry and was thinking just how much he wanted to hit him when a small voice brought him out of his trance. 

"They were true," she confessed. "Harry and I were together,"

Ron's hands slackened their hold of Harry's shirt and fell nimbly to his sides. It wasn't that he didn't still want to hit him – he wanted to hit him more than anything at that moment – but his brain seemed to be having difficulty believing that the two people he cared about most had been lying to his face for years. Just the idea of them together seemed impossible. He had never really paid any attention to the rumours. He had always figured it was someone's idea of spicing up the rumour mill at Hogwarts.

He must have been standing there in silent rage for several moments, because they were both staring at him, concern and anxiety showing on their expressions.

"How could you?" He finally managed to get out. He was talking to them both but he was looking at Hermione when he said it.

She looked close to tears, and Ron realized then how much he wanted to make her cry. He had never before wanted to do such a thing, not even way back in first year when he thought she was a bossy, know-it-all.

"Just let me explain,"

Ron's temper had reached the breaking point. "Like you let me explain after you found out about Lavender? You are a piece of work, Hermione. Hanging Lavender over my head all these years when you were doing the same thing with my best friend,"

"Ron, it was never like that – "

"Spare me the details," he spat out angrily. "I think I can figure them out for myself,"

"Ron, please, you don't understand,"

"Oh, I understand plenty. And you two better understand this: when I come back inside you both better be gone. You two disgust me and I don't what to see either one of you at my wedding or in my house ever again,"

Hermione wanted to stay and make him understand, but Harry forced her back into the house. He kept telling her over and over that Ron just needed some time to cool down and then they would talk things over. But one thing Harry had never been very good at was lying. She wasn't at all convinced that Ron would want to talk to her anytime soon.

She knew then that she needed to leave the house before the rest of Ron's family found out what they had done. At that moment she didn't care that Harry would be left alone to deal with them. 

Harry had tried to get her to call a cab, saying she looked too upset to drive, but she had insisted that she was fine and he eventually backed off. She couldn't hang around The Burrow a second longer.

Even when she was in her car, driving away, she didn't think it was possible for her to feel any worse, but she was wrong.

Everything she and Ron had worked towards in the past few weeks had been ruined in a matter of minutes. And this time, she had no one to blame but herself.


	13. Some Things Can't Be Fixed

A/N:  Once again I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story.  This is the first story I've ever written that has gotten a hundred reviews.  None of my other stories have even come close.  Thank you!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:  SOME THINGS CAN'T BE FIXED

_It was late on Saturday morning when Harry entered the Great Hall for breakfast. The Gryffindor table was surprisingly empty, save for a bunch second years, and the odd older student – Ron Weasley among them. Instead of sitting himself as far away from Ron as possible – which was something he had got accustomed to doing in during meal times – Harry situated himself several feet across from him._

_Ron hurriedly finished the last of his porridge and stood up from the table the same instant Harry sat down._

_Against his better judgment, Harry told him he didn't have to leave._

_Ron wasn't sure what to make of Harry's changed attitude towards him, but sat back down nonetheless._

_Harry did not appear to be in too much of a hurry to reveal why either. Minutes passed before Ron finally broke the silence._

_"What do you want, Harry?"_

_It sounded so much like something Ron would say if he were bad mood resulting from an unpleasant encounter with Draco Malfoy, that it was hard to believe they had avoided talking to each other for weeks._

_Harry didn't know how to answer his question, though, and remained silent. _

_It had been nearly two weeks since his conversation with Hermione in the common room. He had thought she was wrong then and he still felt the same way, but he had promised her the other night he would make an attempt at being civil with Ron – beyond that he wasn't making any promises._

_Just thinking about the other night made him wonder how he could look Ron in the face and act as if he wanted to patch things up._

_Hermione had come up to the seventh year boys' dorm to talk to him.  As of late, he had been trying to spend as little time as possible in the common room since his breakup with Ginny.  Hermione knew him well enough to not try and get him to talk about her, but she had been unable to restrain herself from asking if he had spoken to Ron._

_He told her that of course he hadn't, and she wouldn't leave him alone about it until he promised to do it first thing tomorrow. He really wished that she didn't care so much, because he had nothing to say to Ron, and the only reason he was sitting there at the Gryffindor table was because he had given Hermione his word._

_She had gone on about how she didn't want to force him to do anything; that all she wanted to do was keep Ron's mistakes from destroying another friendship. It was the first time since their breakup that she had been able to speak about Ron without getting overly emotional._

_Everything would have been fine if Hermione had just left his room then, but she didn't. She had stayed on his bed, waiting for some sort of response from him. He did respond, only he gave her the most stupid response imaginable. He had kissed her. He had gone and violated – and probably destroyed – their entire friendship by kissing her. Afterwards, there had been no way to shake the guilt he felt from doing it.  He had no right to kiss her.  It wasn't as if her and Ron would ever be together again, but deep down Ron was still his best friend and there was no excuse for what he had done._

_Hermione had left his room without saying anything to him, and he had not realized how bad he had messed things up until he found himself purposely avoiding her gaze on his way down to breakfast. _

_Now, he found himself doing his best to avoid Ron's gaze, hoping his guilt didn't show on his face._

_Ron was watching him carefully before finally saying, "do you want to have another go at me? Is that why you came down here?"_

_Of course Ron would think that and though the idea was somewhat appealing to Harry, he merely shook his head. "I don't fight my friends,"_

_Ron looked taken aback. "I didn't realize we were still friends,"_

_Harry shrugged. "Neither did I, but I promised Hermione I would try,"_

_He noticed the pain in his friend's eyes when he mentioned Hermione's name._

_"How is she?" Ron tried to ask casually, as if he didn't really care, which could not have been father from the truth._

_Harry figured there was no harm in telling him the truth – at least the truth up until last night. "She's managing. That's not to say she hasn't had a hard time of it,"_

_Ron said nothing._

_"You broke her heart, Ron,"_

_Ron seemed to slump down further into his seat. "Harry, you have to believe me, I love Hermione. I made a mistake – a horrible one, but I need her to know that it'll never happen again. She needs to know that I love her." He sounded desperate. "Please, Harry, you have to talk to her and make her understand. She'll listen to you,"_

_"You know I can't do that. How can you even ask me to get her to forgive you after what you did to her?"_

_Ron seemed to have regained control of himself, having understood the very awkward position he was putting Harry in. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to get involved. This is my mess,"_

_Harry was already involved – Ron, though, had no idea just how much, and Harry planned to keep it that way._

_Feeling as if they had said everything they were going to say to one another, Ron rose from the table._

_"Things aren't okay between us, you know that, right?" Harry said before he could walk off. "They may never be,"_

_Harry's words stayed with Ron long after he left the Great Hall. When he thought about it, he realized he shouldn't have expected anything else from Harry. He figured he would have done the same in his position._

_Their friendship might not be fully mended, and like Harry had said it might never be, but his best friend was talking to him again, and that was more than he had yesterday. _

Rain was pelting down on the windshield, but the poor weather wasn't the only reason Hermione was having difficulty seeing the road in front of her. She supposed she should have been going a bit slower, but all she wanted to do was get home, lock herself in her bedroom, and never come out.

She knew better than to let herself get distracted while driving, but the events of that evening were still too fresh in her mind for her to focus on much else. 

It wasn't enough that Ron had seen her and Harry together in bed, but he had also found out about the closely guarded secret they had been keeping for years. She knew she never could have told Ron about them while they were still at Hogwarts. They had managed to mend their relationship enough by graduation, but even then it wasn't near fully healed. If she had dropped that bombshell on him then, she had a feeling that he would have cut her out of his life completely. His reaction tonight only served to remind her why she and Harry had made a pact never to tell him or anyone else for that matter.

The main reason being Ron would over analyze the whole thing. Ron was the most stubborn and proud person she had ever met. How would she get him to understand that she wasn't in love with Harry and never had been? It had never been about love. Sometimes she didn't even think her time with Harry qualified as a relationship.

But that's not how Ron saw it, and she doubted there was anything she could do to make him change his line of thinking. He wouldn't think it was possible for them to be together and not have it mean something, even when it had not lasted for very long.

He had always been so jealous of Harry; his fame, his wealth. His ability to do and have anything he wanted. He had confided in her once, asking her how it was possible to be best mates with someone you were insanely jealous of. Of course she had never said anything to Harry. Ron couldn't help the way he felt, what with having five older brothers to contend with.  She had hoped that once he got older he would get over it.  But after tonight, she wondered if he ever would.

She hit a pothole in the road then and veered slightly onto the shoulder before regaining control of her car. She mentally cursed herself for not paying closer attention to the conditions of the road she was driving along.

Back at Hogwarts, she knew Ron had secretly taken pleasure in the fact that she would be the only thing Harry Potter could never have, but even that was gone now and he probably hated Harry for it.

She hated herself for it.

She had spent the better half of a decade trying to convince herself that Ron Weasley was not the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. That she could live her life without him. It was amazing how all that work could fade away over the course of a few weeks. 

Perhaps she had been a fool to not forgive and forget, and this was her punishment. Deep down she knew that her and Ron would never be able to make things work now. He would never be able to get passed how she had turned to his best friend for comfort, and had kept it hidden from him for years.

Again, she thought about slowing down, as the rain seemed to be coming down even harder, but she was so close to home now that she didn't.

Under different circumstances, she would have remembered the sharp turn in the road up ahead, or at least paid attention to the yellow sign indicating that she was approaching a tight turn. Then again, she had traveled this road enough times in the past two weeks that she should have known what was coming.

But her mind was elsewhere and she ended up taking the turn too fast. Her first instinct was to slam on the breaks, but that only served to spin the car out of control on the slick road. With no traction and nothing to stop her, she let out a short scream before crashing head on with a telephone pole.

        When Harry reached The Burrow the morning after Ron had not so subtly told him and Hermione that he never wanted to see them again, he was praying it wouldn't be Ron who answered the door when he knocked. Harry was almost sure it would be slammed in his face if he did. It wasn't as he didn't have a reason to, but Harry wanted Ron to hear him out first, then, if Ron still felt the need to do him bodily harm he could go right ahead. 

He didn't think his chances faired much better when a certain other Weasley answered instead.

        "If you're looking for Ron he's not here," Ginny told him, not bothering to mask the anger in her voice. "Though I can't imagine why he'd want to listen to anything you had to say anyway,"

        Harry cringed inwardly. Ron had obviously told her everything. "Can I wait for him?"

        She clearly looked like she didn't want him in the house, but moved out of the doorway without a word so he could come in.

        She was hoping he would wait for Ron in the living room, but to her great disappointment he followed her into the kitchen where she was making lunch.

        "Have you heard from Hermione?" He asked her.

        "Why are you asking me? Obviously if she wanted talk to anyone it would be you," she said hotly.

        "Ginny, you don't understand what happened,"

        Suddenly her roast beef sandwiches didn't seem so appetizing anymore. "What don't I understand? The part where you stab my brother in the back and sleep with the woman he's obviously in love with? Or when you went behind my back at Hogwarts with Hermione?"

        _So_ that's why she was so angry with him. "Ginny, I never – "

        "Save it, Harry," she cut him off sharply. "All that time you went on about how could my brother do that to Hermione when you were doing the exact same thing to me. You're noting but a hypocrite, Harry Potter,"

        "I swear I never laid a hand on Hermione when we were together,"

        "It all makes sense now," she went on, ignoring what he had said. "All those times you were alone with her…"

        He hadn't figured she would take this as bad as Ron had. "Ginny, nothing happened with her when I was with you," he said, unsure why he was so desperate to make her believe him. "You remember when we broke up for a couple of months during seventh year? Your mum was sick and we were having problems so we broke things off. I didn't plan for anything to happen with Hermione, it just did. We were both lonely and going through a rough time. It was just two best friends trying to help each other out. Nothing more,"

        "How long did it last?" She wasn't sure she really wanted to know the answer.

        "About a month. Once I had worked things out with Ron, it was even harder to justify why were doing what we were doing. There had already been enough heartache that year and we ended it,"

        Ginny was shaking her head. "I just can't believe you never said anything afterwards,"

        "So that what happened last night could have happened six years earlier?  You know Ron would have never understood,"

        Ginny said nothing. She was staring very hard out the kitchen window.

        Harry couldn't resist saying what was on his mind then. "You're happy with Colin now, so why should ancient history matter to you?"

        "It doesn't,"

           Harry was not convinced. "It _does_ bother you. And you hate that it bothers you,"

           "I think you should go. I'll tell Ron you stopped by,"

        She wouldn't look at him, but he knew he had hit a nerve with her.

        He was on his way out when the telephone rang. That in itself was strange. The Weasley's did have a phone but it was only there incase someone couldn't get in touch with them through magical means.

        When he heard Ginny's loud gasp he rushed back into the kitchen.  Her face had gone very pale and when she hung up the phone she looked to be fighting to keep herself standing.

        Their argument completely forgotten now, Harry went over to her and said, "Gin, what is it?"

        It took her a moment to respond. When she found her voice, she looked at him, her eyes glistening and said, "it's Hermione. She's been in an accident," 


	14. Burying The Past

Just thought I'd let everyone know that there's only one chapter to go after this one.  The end is very near folks.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:  BURYING THE PAST

        _It was still early when Harry headed up to the seventh year boys' dorm after Quidditch practice one night.  Ron was the only one up there. He was sitting on his bed, seemingly absorbed in the piece of parchment he was holding in his hands. He looked upset._

_        "What is it?" Harry asked him._

_        Ron must have not heard him enter the room because he looked up startled, and quickly muttered, "nothing," before stuffing the parchment in his robes._

_        He wasn't getting off that easy. "It's not nothing. It looks like you've just seen your on death,"_

_        "Drop it, Harry, would you?" He said, irritated._

_        "Ron, I just – "_

_        "I'm not going to graduate," he blurted out. "Are you happy now?"_

_        Harry gave him a look that was a cross between bewilderment and shock, and Ron thrusted the piece of parchment into his hands._

_It was written by Professor McGonagall, informing Ron that his marks were substandard and that he was in danger of not graduating with the rest of the seventh years in June if he did not achieve drastic improvements over the next little while. She proceeded to list his averages in each of his subjects, before ending off the later by saying she wanted to see him that night in her office to discuss the situation.   _

_Harry had to fight to keep his mouth from hanging open as he stared down at Ron's grades. Harry had known he had been struggling a bit with some of his classes – but so were a lot of people. Seventh year had turned out to be beyond any challenge they had anticipated. Ron was failing several of his classes, and the ones he was passing were not by much. _

_"How did this happen?"_

_Ron shrugged. "I stopped doing the homework, failed a couple of tests…" he trailed off, figuring he didn't need to say anything more._

_"Ron, this is bad,"_

_"Thanks for that brilliant bit of insight, Harry, because the thought had never even occurred to me," he remarked sarcastically, snatching the parchment out of Harry's hands._

_        "What are you going to do?"_

_        "I don't know,"_

_        Harry frowned. He didn't sound overly considered about it. "Ron, you have to do something. There's only a few months 'til graduation,"_

_        "Then what's the point?" Ron said bitterly. "I could spend every waking hour studying my brains out and still not scrape together enough NEWTS to graduate,"_

_        It struck Harry then what he was saying. "So you're just giving up?"_

_        "It's not giving up if you're already doomed to fail," Ron said before leaving the room._

_        "I need to ask you something,"_

_        Hermione looked up from her advanced arithmancy essay to see a very anxious expression on Harry's face. It must have been important if he had come all the way down the library to talk to her._

_        "What is it, Harry? You look horrible,"_

_        He sat down on the bench across from her. "Just hear me out before you make any decisions, okay?"_

_        "Okay," she said, not sure what was going on._

_        "What if there was a student in danger of not passing their seventh year?"_

_        That didn't come as much of a shock to her.  It was common knowledge many of the students in their year were struggling to keep passing grades.  "How bad is it?"_

_        "Pretty bad," Harry told her. "Would you be willing to tutor this person?"_

_        "I don't know, Harry," she said,carefully thinking it over. "It sounds like this person needs more help then even I can give them. Plus, I've got enough work of my own to do. I have so many assignments to finish I haven't even started revising for our NEWTS yet,"_

_        "Hermione, you're the smartest person in our year. If anybody can help someone pass it's you,"_

_        She heaved a sigh and gave in. "All right. Fine, I'll do it.  But," she added in a tone that said she was only going to agree to this on her terms, "if it interferes with my own schoolwork, I'm stopping,"_

_        Harry nodded. "Fair enough,"_

_        "Who is it?"_

_        She saw him shift uncomfortably and say in a barely audible voice, "Ron,"_

_        "That's not fair," she accused. "You should have told me it was him from the beginning. I agreed to help a student in need, _not_ Ron,"_

_It was all she could do to keep herself from hurtling her arithmancy textbook at him. She expected more from Harry then to deceive her in to agreeing to something he knew she would have said no to if he had been honest with her from the start._

_        "Hermione, he needs you," Harry insisted.  "You're the only one that can help him. I know you don't owe him anything and a few months ago I wouldn't have cared if Ron passed or failed, but he's still my best friend despite everything he's done – and he used to be yours.  It might make you feel less guilty about what happened with us,"_

_        She didn't throw her textbook at him that time but she did slam it shut with such force that a stir of heads turned to look in their direction.  "That was really rotten, Harry," she hissed at him, trying to keep her voice low enough so no one else would hear her.  "I can't believe you would use that to try and get me to help him.  Just because your conscience needs easing doesn't mean mine does too,"_

_        She was right about that part.  Since he and Ron had begun working things out, he had found it difficult to not feel like he had betrayed him in some way.  He felt the same way with Ginny. They had patched things up awhile back, and she still had no idea of his brief relationship with Hermione.  If he could help it, she never would.  _

_        "I'm sorry," he apologized, knowing he had been out of line to say that.  "I just don't want to see Ron mess up his whole life because he's too stubborn to ask for help.  He's thinking about dropping out,"_

_        She wanted more than anything at that moment to not care about Harry's last words.  But she did – and Harry could tell that she did._

_        "I know he's not your problem," Harry continued, "and I would never ask you to forgive him.  All I'm asking is that you think about it before coming to any decisions.  Ron may not deserve your help, but he needs it," _

_        She didn't want to think about it. She wanted to tell him "no" right then and there. But she didn't. Her essay lay forgotten because all she did after Harry had gone was think about it._

When Hermione came to, she barely had the strength to keep her eyes open. The only thing that kept her from closing them again was the person sitting next to her.

        Ron looked an absolute mess. He looked like he hadn't shaved in days and the dark circles under his eyes showed he probably hadn't slept much in that time either.

        He gave her hand a squeeze. "Welcome back,"

        "You look awful," she said weakly.

        He flashed her a tired grin. "You don't look so hot yourself,"

"What happened?"

        He looked concerned that she didn't remember.  "You were in an accident.  Your car – " he broke off and shook his head. "Well, there's not much left of it,"

        It started coming back to her in bits and pieces then.  Her distracted state of mind after leaving the Weasleys; the bad road conditions; spinning out of control and then crashing into a telephone pole.  "How long have I been unconscious?"

        "A week,"

        She nearly croaked.  "A week?" 

        He nodded gravely. "They said you had some pretty severe head trauma. They weren't sure if you were going to make it for awhile. We thought about bringing you to St. Mungo's but the doctors we spoke with there said there was nothing they could do for you that the muggles weren't already doing,"

She looked down at the hand that was resting on hers and noticed there was no longer an engagement ring on it.

Ron saw where she was looking.  "It didn't happen," he told her.  "I couldn't go through with it when I found out you were in here. It was my fault after all,"

"You didn't force me to drive. I should have listened to Harry,"

She didn't miss the way his face contorted when she mentioned Harry's name. "What happened between me and Harry was a long time ago," she began carefully, not wanting a repeat of that night at The Burrow.  "I knew how you would react, that's why I could never tell you.  And as the years went by, it didn't seem to matter anymore, at least not to me,"

"Well, it matters to me," said Ron.  "If it didn't mean anything, why couldn't you have told me?  I would have – "

"Understood?"  She cut in.  He seemed to sink back in his chair, and said nothing.  She noticed how he had let go of her hand.  "Ron, you and I both know it wouldn't have made a difference if Harry and I had waited a hundred years to tell you.  You still would have reacted the same way."  She paused before finally working up the courage to say, "if you hadn't found out that night I don't think I would have ever told you,"

        "Harry could have had anyone he wanted at Hogwarts, why did it have to be you?"  He had spoken the words aloud, but he didn't seem to be speaking to her when he said them.

        "Ron, you have to understand something.  Harry means a lot to me – I love him – but my feelings for him do not go beyond friendship,"

        "But they did at one time?"

        He wasn't going to let this go.  He _couldn't_ let it go.  "Whatever I may have felt for Harry at the time, it wasn't love.  There's only one person I've ever loved,"

His eyes seemed to widen at that, but he was silent.  He didn't seem to know what else to say.

"If you want me, you and Harry to have anything remotely resembling a friendship, you're going to have to let this go," she said gently.

"I know that," he said with a sigh.  "But you don't know what it was like for me to walk in and see you in bed with Harry after everything we had said to each other.  I didn't think there had been a worse moment in my life, but I was wrong,"

He was referring to finding out about her time spent with Harry at Hogwarts.  "What do you want me to do, Ron?  Spend the rest of my days apologizing to you for going to Harry because I was lonely,"

"Of course not," he answered, though his tone was not entirely convincing.

"What then?"

"I don't know,"

She couldn't do this with him right now.  Maybe in a few days when they both had time to think, things might be different.  "I think you should leave,"

That got his attention.

"Why?"

She had forgotten how dense he could be.  "Because I don't want to fight with you, and that's exactly where this conversation is leading if one of us doesn't leave.  And since it can't be me, you're the next obvious choice,"

"I can't," he said slowly.  "I love you and I'm not going anywhere until we fix this," 

It came as some what of a shock to hear him say that after everything that had happened.  "What about you and Gillian?" She asked him.

"It's over," he said simply.  "She didn't want to postpone the wedding, and it didn't seem right to marry her when you were lying in here, unconscious,"

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"I'm an idiot," was his response.  "As crazy as it's going to sound, if you hadn't got into that accident, I would have married Gillian – and the only reason would have been because I was angry with you."  Shaking his head and chuckling slightly, he said, "we haven't changed a bit, have we?  You had to almost die for me to realize what a mistake I was making,"

"You weren't the only idiot," she said to him.  "So how do we get ourselves out of this mess we've made?"  Then she added, "I'm not even sure that we can,"

"We can," he said in an unwaveringly tone.  "But you're going to have to trust me,"

She didn't find out just what he had in mind until she was released from the hospital a week later.

_It was after dark when Hermione ventured outside the great castle. As it turned out she wasn't the only one in need of some fresh air. Approaching the castle with their broomsticks slung over their shoulders were Dean, Seamus and Ron, probably on their way back from a quick pickup game of Quidditch._

_She had learned from Ginny that Ron had become quite good friends with them during the period when Harry wasn't speaking to him. That didn't seem to have changed even after he and Harry had gotten back on speaking terms. _

_Hermione didn't have to say anything when they approached her. Ron took one look at her face before telling Dean and Seamus that he'd meet them back in the common room. Even when they were gone it was nearly a full minute either one of them spoke._

_"Is everything all right?" Ron asked, breaking the silence._

_It was the first words he'd spoken to her since that day in the hospital wing almost four months ago._

_"What makes you think there's something wrong?"_

_"Well, for starters, you're wondering out here alone… and you're talking to me,"_

_"Nothing's wrong with me. I didn't even expect to find you out here," she lied. "I would have thought you'd be in the library catching up on work,"_

_Ron looked about ready to slam his broom handle on the ground. "Goddamn, Harry Potter," he growled. "He told you, didn't he?"_

_"He wants to make sure you graduate," she said carefully, not wanting to unleash his temper._

_"Why? It's not like I deserve it,"_

_"Ron, you wouldn't have gotten this far if you didn't deserve it,"_

_This time he did slam his broom on the ground. "The only reason I got this far is because of you. I spent six years begging you to let me copy your work, and when you would refuse you would offer to help me understand it instead. So you see, Ron Weasley is nothing if he doesn't have Hermione Granger at his side every minute of the day, grounding the importance of doing well in school into his head,"_

_"So you're just going to give up and drop out?"_

_He was really going to give it to Harry for telling her that.  "You tell me what the point is of continuing on when we both know I'm as stupid as a troll when it comes to all this school rubbish,"_

_"I could help you," she said slowly._

_"No," he responded immediately. "If there's one person I don't want helping me, it's you,"_

_She was stunned by this, and couldn't help but feel a little hurt, despite everything that had happened between then. "Ron, I'm the only person who can,"_

_"I don't care!" he yelled at her. "You've already wasted enough time on me. Luckily, in a few months you'll be out of here and will probably never have look at me again,"_

_"I never thought I wasted time on you, and I'm not wasting my time by telling you I want to help. But if you're too stubborn and thick-headed to see it, then you are right, I _am_ wasting my time," she said, raising her voice to match his.  "So you might as well march down to McGonagall's office right now and tell her your dropping out,"_

_He seemed to consider that before finally saying, "you don't owe me anything, Hermione,"_

_"I know,"_

_"It won't work, you know," he said, making one last attempt to get her to change her mind._

_"We won't know that until you let me try,"_

_He still looked ready to disagree with her, but she had that determined look on her face that he had seen so many times before and that was the only reason he agreed to it in the end._


	15. Starting Over

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:  STARTING OVER

_Ron seemed to be stuck in some sort of a trance. His mind was having difficulty processing the thought that tomorrow was graduation. Tomorrow would mark the end of seven years at Hogwarts.  Seven years that he wouldn't trade for anything else in the world.  Some of the things he had learned in that time no book could have ever taught him.  Things like friendship, loyalty, courage, love, regret, and heartache.  _

_There were a lot of things he wished he could go back and do over, but since he would never get that chance he would have to settle for how his life was now.  Where he had originally couldn't wait to be out of Hogwarts, he was now more sad than anything to see it ending.  Most of his best memories had happened right there. Even those not so good ones did not make him feel like he would miss the place any less.  After tomorrow, it would probably be a very long time before he ever saw the school again.  The person he had to thank for that had barely been able to stand being in the same room with him for the better part of the year._

_ His tutoring sessions with Hermione had started off easily enough. They had both felt too awkward to do much arguing in the beginning, but that had not lasted for long. Some of their sessions were nothing but full-fledged yelling matches with more tears shed then Ron thought was possible. But like their previous years of friendship, when they had each calmed down enough, they would smooth things over.  Sometimes apologies were given, other times they acted like nothing had happened.  Only now the things they fought about were quite different then the petty bickering they used to do. Sometimes it took days, and once it had even taken a full week before they had started speaking again._

_Ron had wondered on several occasions why Hermione kept doing it – why she didn't just give up on him.  It was obvious she was only making herself more miserable by being around him.  She never did give up, though.  She helped him right up until the end, and that was the only reason he had managed to scrape together enough NEWTS to graduate._

_He had taken a time out from the celebrations going on in Gryffindor Tower to wonder to the library. He had become quite familiar with it in his last year at the school. For a while there he had been using the time that wasn't spent in classes sitting in there, doing his homework, avoiding the Gryffindor common room at all costs._

_It still amazed him how his life had gone from complete misery to something that resembled maybe not happiness, but rather being at peace with himself and the choices he had made.  Perhaps that's why he was sitting in the library; to reflect on how he had gotten to where he was at that very moment. _

_"This is certainly the last place I'd expect to find you tonight," said a voice from behind him._

_"Maybe I've become a bit bookish.  Is that a problem?" He asked with a raised eyebrow._

_"It is if you're spending more time in here then me," Hermione replied._

_He had to smile. It had taken endless nights of crying and heartache for speaking to each other to become an almost natural thing again. Sometimes it was like that night in Hogsmeade had never happened and their friendship was the same as it had always been. Sometimes… but not always._

_"Really, Ron, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be enjoying the celebrations in the common room,"_

_"I was. I just needed to get some air,"_

_"And you came up to the library?" She shook her head, smiling. "I really have had a bad influence on you, haven't I?"_

_"The worst," he said with a smirk. "But I can't complain,"_

_"You better not," she said, slipping up onto the desk beside him._

_They were silent for a time, simply enjoying each other's company when Ron reached a hand into his robes and pulled out a small box. "I was going to wait 'til tomorrow," he said, handing it to her, "but they'll be loads of people at the ceremony and the ministry will probably be all over you," he said in a teasing voice, "so, here,"_

_She took the small rectangular box from him, saying, "Ron, you didn't have to get me anything."  Looking a bit embarrassed, she added, "I didn't get you anything,"_

_He waved a hand to show it didn't matter.  Though when he spoke, the light tone in his voice was gone.  "That night when I said you didn't owe me anything, I meant it. But I owe you everything, Hermione. Seven years is a long time to carry someone – especially if that someone is a bad-tempered git like myself. I thought this would be a start to paying you back,"_

_She opened the box, more curious then ever now. But all that was inside were what looked to be a bunch of blank business cards.  She was at a loss for what to say.  She had never received such a strange gift._

_Seeing her puzzled look, Ron said, "there what those hot shots at the ministry use," he said, taking one out of the box and taking out his wand. "You just tap it like this and say whatever your title and position are and the card will show it. Watch," he tapped it with his wand and said loudly, "Hermione Granger, Minister of Magic,"_

_Instantly the card transformed, displaying her name and the words 'minister of magic' directly underneath.   The card continued to change, showing the ministry's logo in the top right hand corner, as well as the address and location of the building near the bottom._

_"Then you just tap it again to wipe it clean,"_

_Sure enough the card turned completely blank again._

_"It's not much," he said, shrugging._

_"I love it," she told him. She laid her free hand on top of his._

_He tried to hide his shock at her gesture, but wasn't sure if it worked._

_"Have you thought about your dad's offer?" She asked him._

_"Not really. I don't want to work at the ministry," he said to her._

_"You could just take it until you figure out what it is you want to do,"_

_"I s'ppose," he conceded. He turned and raised a curious eyebrow at her as if realizing something for the first time. "What were you doing away from the party? Don't tell me you were looking for me,"_

_"Then I guess you'll never know," she said to him. "Now are we going to head back?" She said slipping down from the table. "I don't know about you but I don't fancy spending my last night in the library,"_

_"Are you sure? There must be at least two or three books in here you haven't read," he teased._

_She gave him a playful shove. "I think I'll pass,"_

_They were almost out of the library, when Ron grabbed her hand to stop her. "Look, I know things are still weird between us and might be for a long time, but I don't want us to lose touch once we're out of here.  I want things to stay the same between you, Harry, and me.  I know it's probably asking a lot – "_

_"No, it's not," she cut in quickly.  "I want things to be right between us too.  Sometimes I think it'll never happen, but I'm willing to try if you are,"_

_        She may not have bought him anything, but she had just given him the best gift anyone could have asked for: hope._

"Are you done yet?" Ron called impatiently.

"Almost," came Hermione's response. "Just give me another minute,"

Ron sighed. He had forgotten how much of a pack rat she could. Her trunk had always been the heaviest at Hogwarts – no doubt owing to all the books she would bring with her.  That reminded him of the deal they had made.  "I hope you're not bringing any books with you.  Remember, we agreed there would be no education of any sort on this trip.  That includes quoting from any books you've read,"

She emerged into the living room then, dragging a gigantic size trunk with her.  "If I have nothing to read what am I supposed to do if I get bored?"

She was teasing, and Ron played along.  "We'll if you think you're going to be bored, maybe you should stay here,"

She took out her wand and shrunk her luggage to fit in the palm of her hand like he had and placed it in her jacket pocket.  "I do have a lot of work to – "

"No," he cut in almost immediately.  "There is no way you're calling off our trip for work.  If anyone needs – no _deserves _a break, it's you,"

The joking seemed to be over.  She now looked to be having second thoughts about the whole thing, so Ron said, "Hermione, the ministry won't fall apart if you're not there for a week,"

"I know, but it just doesn't feel right taking a whole week off without warning,"

"Considering you've accumulated enough vacation time to take an entire year off, no wonder the minister didn't put up too much of a fuss,"

"I know, but what about your family and Ginny and Harry? We're not even telling them were leaving,"

He sighed.  "We've already been over this. They'll just try and stop us from going, saying we're moving too fast and we don't know what we're doing. We'll send them an owl as soon as we reach where we're going and tell them everything. Can you imagine the look on my mum's face when I tell her we're back together? I think that's a conversation I'd like to put off for a while. Besides," he added mischievously, slipping his hands around her waist, "we do have a lot of catching up to do," 

"For once, I can't argue with you. But don't get used to it," she added quickly.

He laughed.  "Don't worry, I won't,"

Hand in hand they vacated the apartment and didn't look back.

I hope you enjoyed the final chapter.  I know I left some loose ends with Ginny and Harry and the whole "relationship" thing with Hermione and Harry when they were at Hogwarts, but that's what sequels are for.  I don't know when I'll start working on it.  I have two other stories on the go right now, and there's this other idea for a Harry Potter story that I've got in my head and it will not go away until I write it.  All I can say is there will be a sequel for this story some time in the future.

Thanks to all the wonderful and encouraging reviews that kept me writing, and I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this story as much as I have writing it.  Until the next story,

Buffybot


End file.
